


Introduction into Advanced Geography

by Skitzer1985



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, F/M, Post Season 6, Slow Burn, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24822826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skitzer1985/pseuds/Skitzer1985
Summary: What happens when Annie doesn't come home after her Internship?
Relationships: Annie Edison/Jeff Winger
Comments: 59
Kudos: 67





	1. Wayward Son

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to the fellow fans on the Community Discord Server, Especially Kian and Childish Glover. Also big thanks to EllieCarina who gave me the final push to trust to actually put this up.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone below.

“Alright class, for this week’s reading, please read chapters 14-17 and there will be a quiz on this next week” a collective groan worked its way across the lecture hall. “Go on, get out of here and I’ll see you all next week”

Mr. Winger, or Jeff to his friends, erased his notes from the chalk board and strode back over to his desk and sat down in his chair. The slight headache he had still at lunch time and persisted until this late in the afternoon was testament to Britta’s over eager pour last night at The Vatican where he had ended up after watching American’s Next Top Model re-runs and had gotten bored. He reached to the bottom draw on his desk and pulled out the tumbler and his ever-present scotch bottle. He poured himself two fingers and slowly sipped it. He would never admit to himself, but in the past 3 years, his consumption had slowly been rising. He refused to think why that was.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, lent back in his chair, and scrolled through his Twitter feed. Scrolling through the protein supplement ads and reposted cat videos from Britta, there wasn't really anything that caught his eye. He sighed and put his phone away and took another sip. He does not know why he keeps checking anymore, she stopped posting long ago. He looks out the window towards the Greendale campus, over towards the library. He hasn't stepped foot in there since he told her he let her go and does his best to avoid the area around there as well.

“Variables" he mutters to himself as he swigs the last part of his drink and puts both tumbler and scotch away. As he grabs his blazer and bag, he hears a small timid knock at the door.

“Jeffery, it’s been ages since you've attended a faculty meeting, you need to put in an appearance once in a while" Dean Pelton says pouting, slowly gazing up and down the length of the professor standing before him. Jeff doesn't even hide his eye rolling anymore.

“Craig” The dean shudders in delight of hearing Jeff call him by his first name “As long as you are continuing to stare are me like a piece of meat, it will continue to be longer still" He walks past The Dean, who now had tears in his eyes, looking like he had been slapped. He pushed past the bespectacled man into the hallway and walked towards the parking lot. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the keys to the Lexus and climbed into the driver’s seat. He put his hands onto the steering wheel and pushed back, expelling a large breath.

“Only a month until summer holidays” he said to no one in particular. His plans hinged in him making it through to Holidays without any panic or anxiety attacks. They had started to ease off as of late, but he knew from the past 3 years, they got worse as they come into Graduation Season. There was something about coming into the time where everyone left and new faces arrived that he couldn’t stomach, so he started planning on getting out of town for a few days, usually over to Denver to visit his Mom. This year wouldn’t be any different, he had already spoken to Doreen a few days ago to make sure she didn’t have any plans. She didn’t, as usual, she was always more than happy to make time for her Son, and she had picked up his patterns and made sure she didn’t plan anything for that time. She didn’t know the reason why, all she knew was that he needed time away from his world, and that was enough for her. She had spent time over the past three years sitting with him, listening to him not say a thing, after a few drinks and mumbling about variables, and listening to him sob in his room when he thought she was asleep.

He looks forward and manages to put the keys in the ignition, putting the gear into reverse and slowly pulling out of the parking lot. He makes a left hand turn out of the driveway and starts to head home. It doesn’t take him long to reach his studio apartment, slightly jogging upstairs to get out of encroaching twilight of evening. He quickly moves past Pelton’s apartment, in case the Dean tries to ambush him again. Jeff shakes his head sadly as he passes Craig’s Door. “The man just can’t get a hint”. Jeff quickly got over the innuendos and suggestive glances. He had told the Dean that he wasn’t interested, would never be interested and it made him uncomfortable shortly after Abed and Annie left. Craig has brushed it off as being their usual banter, the back, and forwards he thought they shared over the 6 years, but Jeff had just had enough.

He swept down the hallway and put the keys of his apartment into the lock and turned, quickly opening the door, and locking it behind him. Craig Pelton had no sense of propriety and there had been many occasions over the years he had just 'invited' himself in.

He thumbed the light switch to the kitchen, putting his bag beside the door and kicking his boots off near his bag. He walked over in his socks to the kitchen, pulling down a tumbler and his bottle of scotch from above the bench. He poured himself two fingers and brought the scotch bottle over to the loungeroom and flicked on the TV. He managed to get that tumbler down and pouring a second one when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and pressed the accept button.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?”

A snort come from down the other line, almost drowned out by the loud noises of The Vatican Bar “Oi, jackass, where are you, you said you would be here almost an hour ago, and Duncan is getting to far along for me to get him out of here”

Jeff pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at the time. “how long has Duncan been there for? It’s only 7:30 in the evening.”

“He got here not long after our last class finished and came along with me. He really can knock them back fast can’t he?”

“That’s always been his problem” Jeff finished for Britta. “Give me a few minutes to get ready and I’ll come down and give you a hand on Duncan Duty”

“Alright, don’t take too long, I get off duty soon and it’s been a long week.” She sighs exasperatedly “Tummy Tuesday was a rough one this week”

Jeff shook his head, but he reached to put his shoes back on, grabbed his keys and walked out the door. It had been a while since he had been bothered to do himself up like his study group days, long gone were the days of expensive face lotions and hair gel that cost enough to feed to small family for a week. No one said anything, they all knew why. They all knew he had just about given up and now was just waiting for something he knew was never coming back.

***

In twenty minutes, he had crossed the length of Greendale and pulled up in front the hole in the wall that was The Vatican. Down the street, he could see Duncan’s banged up little hatchback sitting in the carpark 3 spaces down, right in front the front door.

“Least it will be easy to get him home” Jeff had a rule, his Lexus was a Drunken Duncan free zone. He wasn’t going to put up with the smell of vomit in his car again. He put the Lexus in park, turned off the car and climbed out. The air outside was fresh with the oncoming summer and he strode into The Vatican. He quickly spotted Britta’s Blonde hair behind the bar as she shot him eye daggers.

“Your late jackass.”

She pointed over to the corner bench seat where Duncan was stooped over, half falling off his seat. “Come on mate, let’s get you home”

As he walked past Britta, she lobbed Duncan’s keys at him and he stumbled out the door, with Duncan in tow. There was a not so unspoken rule after one session, Duncan had to surrender his keys to Britta if he wanted to be served. He lugged Duncan under one arm and hauled him to the car, stopping only to let Duncan dry heave into the gutter. He struggled to get Duncan into the car. It wasn’t long before he got Duncan into his apartment and called an Uber back to The Vatican.

“No harm in a nightcap is there” he thought to himself. He walked through the door and sat down at the bar. A surprised Britta approached him slowly, almost not believing what she saw.

“Jeff Winger, actually out in the open and in public two nights in a row?” He shrugged “Nothing on TV at the moment I haven’t already seen, and I’m almost out at home”

“Is that the only reason you are out these days? What happened to you Winger?” again, he shrugs and turns to face one of his only friends left.

“I don’t know what you mean” he snaps back. There is nothing but sadness in her eyes. She already knows the reason, but she won’t stop trying to get him to admit it openly, and then just maybe then he can start to heal and move on. She doesn’t know, but he admitted it to himself years ago. He took too long, too long to admit to himself, and more importantly her.

“Scotch" she sighs and reaches for a glass, pouring the bottle she keeps stashed under the bar for when he comes in like this.

“You going to see your Mom again this summer holidays?”

“Yeah, she’s been looking forward to it, texting me plans she’s trying to make with some of her friends, and in no doubts their daughters will just happen to be visiting their moms those days and happen to tag along. She’s been trying for about 2 years now to set me up.” He smiles sadly to himself, burrowing his face into his drink “I know she’s trying, but she doesn’t understand”

Britta nods at his words “it’s because they’re not….” and stops mid-sentence as Jeff’s glare cuts her off. She looks guilty and pours him another drink in apology. Last time she started this conversation, he disappeared on her for a week. The Dean and Frankie had been frantic trying to sort out a replacement Law Professor a week before finals. She found him face down in his apartment later that week after checking on his place for all week to see when he would reemerge from his latest pity bender. She didn’t recognize the shell sitting before her as the same man who tried to convince her he was a “Board Certified Spanish Tutor” That man had a passion she no longer saw, that fire that originally made a family out of a bunch of misfits at a place where their motto is “Your already accepted!”. He quickly finished his drink and stood up and put some notes on the bar.

“Thanks for the drink Britta, I’ll see you around soon” He didn’t wait for a response before turning and walking away, shoulders drooped as they had been for a while now.

***

The sun light peering through the thin curtains woke him up earlier than he would have liked. No matter what he tried, whether is it rolling over, covering his eyes with his arm, pillow or sheet, the sun blaring down on him would not allow him to sink back into his dreamless sleep. He sat up and rubbed his hands through the stubble at his chin and got up to make a coffee. He had some papers to mark and figured he would get it done early. Maybe if he got it done early enough, he would treat himself with a workout. While he didn’t get to carried away with products and lotions, he still wanted to keep himself in shape, just in case.

Pulling out a chair and sitting down to start on the first paper, there was a knock at the door.

 _'Maybe if I just ignore it, he will go away'_ he thought.

The knock came again, sounding more persistent than normal. Jeff stood up from his chair and moved to the door. Opening it a crack, he saw a man in a government issued suit with an earpiece standing in the hallway.

The man in the non-descriptive suit stood there and politely waited for the door to open. “Mr. Winger? Mr. Jeffery Winger?”

“Yes, that’s me, how can I help….” his voice trailed off, leaving an opening for the man to introduce himself.

“Special Agent Marcus Stone”, he said as he flipped his Badge open with a practiced ease.

“I have a couple of questions for you, can we speak about this inside”

Jeff opened the door the rest of the way and looked out the hallway

“Isn’t there usually two of you doing this sort of thing?”

The Special Agent smiled briefly, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Normally yes, but my partner is currently interviewing a….” he looks at the clipboard in his hand “A Craig Pelton. We can join that interview if you wish”

“No, no, that’s fine, please, come in” Jeff stood back to let the agent in. “Can I offer you a drink or anything?"

“No, but thank you for the offer”

Jeff walks over to the chairs around the table, pulls one out and seats himself down. The Agent takes his cue from Jeff and sits down opposite him. He places his folder down on the table and opens it up and pulls some notes out. He reaches into his pocket and pulls a non-descriptive blue ballpoint and looks Jeff in the eye.

“Mr. Winger…”

“Jeff, call me Jeff.”

“Thank you. Jeff, I am part of an investigation designated by the FBI to investigate the circumstances around a Piercinald Anastasia Hawthorne’s death.”

Jeff sat there, stunned at what he was hearing, but his ingrained lawyer training kicks and he can recover quickly in front of the Agent

“Excuse me, come again, I think I might have misheard you, Peirce has been dead for…” he pauses to think back how long it’s been “Four or Five years now, what in earth could you have any reason to investigate a dead man”

“Jeff, I have a few questions for you, and then, if you don’t mind, we have some more questions back at our Operations Centre for you”

“Am I under arrest for something?”

“No, not at all, we just need to establish a timeline and rule out motives from all parties.”

“Sorry?”

“I am led to believe you were a benefactor of Mr Hawthorne’s Will?”

“Yes, but that common knowledge” Jeff turns around and points to a bottle of scotch that has been sitting on the bar. “One of his bequeathments is still sitting over there, the second one” he said with a wry smile “we don’t talk about”

“Understandable. I am to be under the understanding that you were not aware that Mr Hawthorne was actually valued more than half a billion dollars at the time of his passing.”

Jeff sat back and in chair, first time in a while speechless for what he was hearing

“okay, but I don’t see what that has to do with me”

“Well, besides the 14.3 million that was left to your friend, Troy Barnes, we haven’t been able to locate the remainder of the fortune. Due to unpaid taxes, along with the suspicious circumstances of this death, the IRS has asked us to look into his death”

“Again, what do I have to do with all of this”

“what we need to do, is firstly is create a timeline of all of the benefactrices movements between now and then and rule out any motives anyone might have had”

“Fair enough, considering I didn’t know anything about any of this, and honestly, not in the least bit surprised, is your Operations Centre far”

“No, just a few minutes’ drive from here, if you care to follow me?” Agent Stone stood and started to move towards the door.

“I’ll just be outside, if you care to take a few minutes to get yourself sorted” Jeff nodded, and quick ran to his room and threw on the first clothes he could find. He grabbed his keys and phone and closed the door behind him.

_***_

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a second Special Agent stepped out of the Agency car and walked towards the building in front of them. They stopped and looked up at the building. Shaking their head and moving inside to set up for questioning.

***

Agent Stone’s department car and Jeff’s Lexus pulled up at the Greendale Community College’s West Carpark just after 11am in the morning. Jeff looked dejectedly out the windscreen at the buildings in front of him.

“You know” he said, once him and the Federal Agent were out of their respective cars “I come here 5 days a week, why would you want to bring me back here”

“This is the place that Hawthorne’s will was read, and where he spent most of his time after his firing from Hawthorne Wipes. If any information about him is to come to light, having his colleagues in the place they interacted with him the most will hopefully jog memories. Anything we can get this early on will help us in the long run”

While Jeff wasn’t happy about this, he couldn’t argue. The Agent led Jeff towards the library. Jeff stopped dead in his tracks. Agent Stone turned around and looked at him quizzically.

“Are you okay Jeff?”

“No, yes, sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve been in this building “Jeff answered the question thinking to himself at the same time _'I’m going to need a bigger bottle of scotch for this'_

He started walking up the stairs, not even needing the Agent to show him where they were going. Study Room F. That study room, the one place in the College has hasn’t stepped foot into for years. He slowly walks into the room, not looking over to the spot where he let her go. Agent Stone points to Jeff's chair.

“If you could please take a seat”

Jeff complies, sitting and naturally twisting to his left, but then stopping mid move, shakes his head and twists to the right so he is sitting facing Britta’s Spot. A man in a white coat wheels a machine over to him and starts to press a few buttons. Jeff looks at the man, an unspoken question on his face. The man in the white coat looks at him and smiles assuring.

“Don’t be alarmed, it’s just a Polygraph Machine. I’ve been led to believe you are familiar with its operations?” Jeff nods, not able to make words come out of his mouth. The man in the white coat, with the patch saying “Dr Stone” on it starts to hook him up. Agent Stone takes a seat on the right side of him and look at Jeff. Jeff raises an eyebrow at Agent Stone.

“Just like Die Hard, there is no relation” he said with a grin.

“Our profile specialist will be with us shortly, to keep this focused on the topic at hand, you will not be able to interfere or question the profiler, do you understand?” Jeff doesn’t, but nods anyway as it doesn’t seem like he has much of a choice in this.

The door behind him opens and someone steps in. He hears a seat behind him slide to be positioned at a point to see the machine and monitors, but for Jeff not to be able to see the newcomer. The new voice clears their throat with a small cough.

“Mr. Winger” the voice is small, but lyrical. The sound is on the edge of his ears, like he should know the voice, but can’t quite place it.

“Mr. Winger, can you please state you full name for the record.”

“Jeffery Tobias Winger”

“Thank you, firstly, we will start a number of control questions to make sure the readings are as accurate as possible, Mr. Winger” Jeff rolls his eyes and looks around the room and for the first time notices the camera set up on Study Table sitting in front of him.

“Jeff, please call me Jeff” There is a slight heavy pause and the interviewer continues

“Mr. Winger, please state your age”

“43” He no longer hides it, no longer thinks that it’s the end of the world, it’s just another day revolving around an uncaring sun.

“Mr. Winger, please state your occupation and place of employment”

“Professor of Law at Greendale Community College”

“We have in your record that you have one family member, a Doreen Fitzgerald, Previously Winger”

“Yes, that correct”

“Okay, thank you, that concludes the control questions. Would you like some of water before we continue?”

“Yes please”

He hears Agent Stone shuffle from his position and duck out of the room. Jeff sits in the chair in silence, waiting for the onslaught of questions he knows is going to be tough. He hasn’t thought about those years since they left. He hasn’t thought about those years since he last left this room. Agent stone walks back into the room, shutting the door behind him and placing a bottle of water on the table. He cracks open the lid and takes a sip. It has been a while since he has drunk anything that wasn’t flavored from malted barley. It might be nice to wake up without a hangover in the morning, but that does not seem likely if this goes as he thinks it will.

“Now, as my colleague mentioned, we are investigating the Death of a one Mr. Hawthorne and the disappearance of his estate, valued roughly in effect of five hundred million dollars. We need to establish timelines of the…” There is a sound like the questioning agent is flipping through her notes “Greendale Seven as previous people have mentioned. Can you please confirm the names of the remaining six individuals as we don’t need to mention Mr. Hawthorne”

“Sure, they are Troy Barnes, Shirley Bennett, Abed Nadir, Britta Perry, myself, Jeffery Winger and” he pauses for a second, taking a deep breath before mentioning the last name “Annie Edison”

“Thank you for confirming our details and helping configure our machine to your responses, Now, we are to understand that shortly following his demise, you were subjected to a polygraph test as conditions of Mr. Hawthorne will?, remember, please keep your answers short and to the point”

“Yes”

“Now can you remember…”

What felt like hours, the questioning continued, covering the events of the 5th year and the 6th, sometimes focusing on what he thought was trivial, but must have been important to the increasingly annoying Federal Agent just sitting out of view. _'She just won’t give up'_ Jeff thought to himself _'But then again, I guess this is karma finally coming to catch me'_ Jeff heard the shuffle of paper behind him.

“Finally, I just want to go back to something I didn’t quite understand, you said that you found a secret section of the School, what seemed to be the “Lost' section of Greendale Computery College”

The federal agent gasped when she saw all colour drain from Jeff’s face, giving his almost gaunt face an almost skeletal look _'What’s so important about this, the old man wasn’t even involved in this'_

“You said that you opened up a door with your mind, can you explain how that worked?”

Jeff sighed “From what Borchert said, we needed someone to kick start Raquel’s Emotion circuits after Richie and Carl fried her to trap us underground. The Professor said we needed to Burst of Passion to kick start to open the Door. I took the headset, put it on and asked everyone to turn around. I went down the line, one by one, seemingly being able to hear what everyone was saying in response to a question I was asking in my own head. I got to….” Jeff pauses “Annie, and I asked her the one thing that I had been asking her for years” “I asked her “Milady?” And she responded back with “Milord”. It was that point I couldn’t deny myself anymore and allowed myself to feel what I had felt since I first met her, and the door opened. Boom. Burst of passion.” “Not that it did any good did it” Jeff almost mutters under this breath, but the microphone on the camera in front of him can clearly hear. Jeff lifted his head, nodding back to the agent behind him “Are we done here? Do you have anything you want to make me relive again?”

Agent Stone had been watching the agent behind him. Jeff heard a chair pull back and a pair of feet slip out of the door. “Thank you for your time Mr. Winger” He said with a tired voice. He pulled out a card and placed it front of Jeff. “If you have any questions or can think of anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me”

Jeff nodded, stood up from the chair, removed the diodes from his fingers and walked out the door. He was so focused on getting out of that building he didn’t notice the red rimmed blue eyes watching him walk out of sight.


	2. What we left behind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kind words for Chapter 1. I'm hoping to do weekly updates until I've finished.
> 
> Disclaimer: Still don't own these characters.

Britta had just gotten out of the shower, she was late getting home and had to get some materials ready for her day job of Student Support Officer at Greendale Community College. Like all Greendale jobs, it was low paying meaning she still had to continue working at The Vatican while getting the experience she needed to find a job as a real therapist. In her time at Greendale, she learnt to take the good with the bad, knowing she was on her way to doing what she wanted to do, help people. If only that jackass Jeff would open up to her, she knows she could help him and try and claw his way back to the light from the hole he had dug for himself and pulled closed behind him. Apartment 303 had been quiet for a few years now. Occasionally Jeff would crash on the couch when he was unable to leave the bar, or she found him in the hallway of her apartment block, but other than the noise of her two one eyed cats, Britta was content to get away from the craziness of her day and night job. There was a knock at the door. Britta looked at the time.

“Who is it?” she called out, not expecting anyone at this time of night.

Again, there was a knock at the door. Britta moved towards the door and looked through the peep hole. Looking through the dirty fish hole lens in the door, she was able to see a wealth of dark auburn hair in a Government Issue Suit.

“I have no reason to open this door unless you have a warrant in your hand!” Her voice trailed off when the hair looked up directly into view, and standing there, was Annie.

Britta’s breath caught in her throat as she ripped open the door, a snarl almost in her throat “What do you think you are doing here, after all this time. We had no idea what happened to you.”

Annie recoiled at the ferocity of her friend’s face and stance.

“Do you have any idea what you put us through?” Annie had nothing to say, what could she say, this was the job that she chose, the job he wanted and worked for. She looked down for a second while she gathered her thoughts

“Yes, I think I do” she said quietly, voice quavering “I just finished my final interview here. It was him” Annie looked up at Britta, and she saw the fury die in her eyes.

Britta moved back and motioned for Annie to come in. Annie took a glance around Apartment 303, noticing not much had changed. The red couch Britta’s parents had brought sat in the living area in front of the TV that Abed left prior to his move to LA. Annie walked to the kitchen cut-out and put her bag on the bench and sat on a stool.

“Did you want something to drink?” Britta asked, nodding to the fridge.

“No Thanks, I have an early flight in the morning”

Britta crossed her arms in front of her and looked at the FBI agent.

“Well, let’s do this, you didn’t come to see me for a social call, what did you want to know?” an edge creeping back into her voice that Annie wasn’t familiar with.

“What happened to him?”

“You can say it Annie, his name is Jeff” Annie visibly went pale when Britta spoke his name.

Annie looked at Britta and in a small voice “What happened to Jeff?”

“You did Annie, you did” Annie’s eyes instantly locked with Britta’s, turning red and watery. “He was never the same after you left. Sure, we got texts and skype calls from you, but they petered out until they were non-existent. That was what? 5 months after you left for a 10-week internship?”

Annie nodded quietly “It wasn’t noticeable at first, sure, he started putting a few extra drinks away, but no one noticed as he was still going to work on time and he was still the best teacher that hell hole has” Britta pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and cracks the seal, taking a sip. “Then it got worse. Did you see him”

“Just what was in the polygraph camera we record for review back in LA”

That shocked Britta for a second “LA? what happened to DC?”

“I transferred out a year ago. DC is too big, and I wasn’t ready for it, so I had the chance between Denver and Los Angeles, and Los Angeles had the best chances for me progressing”

Britta sat there in numb silence, a rage slowly building towards her friend. “You had a chance to come back, even to say hello, and you past on it? What happened to you?”

Annie tore her eyes away from the blonde “Jeff said he let me go, to give me a chance to live my life, make my own mistakes.” She looked back at Britta over the counter, “That’s what I have been doing. I never expected to come back to this”

Again, Britta felt a rage coming over her again, but she quickly pressed it down. “The shell you see, that’s him now. I honestly think he feels nothing anymore, I honestly think he’s broken”

That was it, Annie couldn’t hold back anymore. In the hours since she had left Jeff in the library after his questioning had been completed, she had been holding it in. Her body started racking in sobs.

“I…. didn’t…. know…. this…… would…. happen….” she said between sobs.

“You didn’t know, did you” Britta looks at the person she calls her sister, even after all the years and distance between them, “Did you know he has never stepped foot into the library since you left? He walks past it every day, but never goes in. I don't think he can ever bring himself to”

“That’s where we interviewed him”

“Damnit Annie, I’m really not trying to stay mad at you at you here, but you’re not helping here. I’m going to be the one to watch his apartment for a week or so until he re-emerges from whatever bender he gets himself into”

Annie’s head shot up “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’m going to have to house sit his apartment and check in with the local hospitals for when he turns up again. The fact that he went into the library means this one is going to be a while. He still won’t go into the Teachers’ Lounge”

“Because of the door in the Lab”

“He told you?”

“No, it came up in questioning about his timeline since Pierces death. I never even suspected it. I thought he thought about everyone, not just about…” another series of sobs emanate from the petite woman on the kitchen stool “…me” she finally said in a quiet voice.

“That was the first time we lost track of him. When he finally admitted it to me, after you left. That one was a week. We walked into his office on a Tuesday morning and found his phone on his desk and an empty bottle of scotch in the trash. Second time we found him just outside of Denver, in a small hospital. He had been in a series of fights and just had some bruising. That was a year ago, just between Graduation and we all entered into the Lab”

It was too much for Annie to take in “I had hoped to be able to see him when I came back, just to talk, I’ve missed him so much” She sobbed.

“Well, as much as I would like the jerk to show up soon, I don’t think you’ll see him this trip” 

Annie took a few deep breaths and then turned to face Britta, desperate to change the subject. “What about you, what are you up to these days?”

“Like you don’t already know, you’ve probably got a file on me somewhere don’t you”

Annie looked down at her feet, not able to give a response “I wanted to hear it from you”

“Well, I won’t bore you with the details, but during the day I’m working as the Student Support Officer at Greendale, because we both know that Greendale really does one on their students, but we also know that Craig is terrible with money and our pays are pathetic or not on time. After Frankie got a contract elsewhere, it started to slide backwards again” Britta muses almost to herself, if realizing for the first time “I guess it was hard for Jeff to watch all your hard work go backwards and the place slide downhill again. That’s about when the drinking and fighting started.”

Britta looked back at Annie, hunched over in her stool “Anyway, to keep this place, I had to go back to working at The Vatican, between both jobs I’m keeping a roof over my head and my cats fed. What about yourself, you said you’re in LA now. Have you seen the Boys?”

Annie looked guilty “They don’t know I’m there”

“What, what do you mean they don’t know your there? You live in the same damn town”

“it’s not like I haven’t want to reach out, but this new task force ….” Britta snorted at the word “doesn’t leave me the time. I wasn’t even meant to come out to Greendale, but I pulled what little strings I had to get out here. I wasn’t even meant to be interviewing anyone, but the profiler for Jeff couldn’t get in from DC in time, so I had to stand in. Due to his lawyer background, and the specialized training I have had, I was able to stand in. I assume you have had your interview by now?”

“Yeah, that was a barrel of laughs, never felt so naked as when we couldn’t find your Purple Pen in Room F” That brought out the first laugh for the night from both of them. That was enough to cut the tension, and enough that Annie had to pause for a second, fighting back the sadness that she was trying to contain.

Annie took a deep breath and continued on “I also may or may not have read that there might have been a bit of a relationship between you and a certain British Professor”

“Sah, no, that lasted about a week, there was nothing there, and it kind of creeped me out all the stashes of Quarters he had in his apartment. Reminded me too much of an the ACB” Annie squirmed in her seat over that one, it wasn’t a happy squirm.

Britta looked at Annie questioningly “That was the last “Cutesy Caper” Jeff and myself paired up on. We got called out on it by the Dean as well. It was one of the last times we actually were together just by ourselves. The Dean was right, we did spend our time doing those capers holding hands, expressing urges in the dark, trying to see if something was there”

Britta looked sadly at Annie, knowing what had to be said. “You were both stupid back then. Jeff treating you with kid gloves in case he broke you, and you just being happy being around him, not knowing where you were standing with him and not wanting to push in case you broke him. We need to go somewhere.”

“Where do we need to go?”

“We need to get Jeff’s stuff. Your coming”

Her tone left no chance for argument.

***

Britta’s old hatchback pulled up at the school. “It’s a bit late to be here, and how are we meant to get in?” Annie asked Britta.

Britta shook the keys in her hand “Staff, remember?” Britta walked over to the door to the Law Building and unlocked the main door. She quickly strode over to the alarm panel and pressed a combination of numbers. A shrill beep emitted from the keypad and Britta flipped up the cover. She reached to the left and flicked on the corridor lights. The lights flicked on one by one down the hallway as Britta followed the emerging light, Annie close on her heels. Annie wasn’t sure what she meant “Collect Jeffs Stuff” _'Maybe she got a message earlier and he left some stuff in his office he needed and didn’t want to come back in'_ They arrived at the door down the end of the hall. On the panel to the left of said

**“Jeffery Winger, Professor at Law”**

Britta shook her head at the sign “He was so proud the day he ordered that, it was just after your internship was meant to finish. He thought you would get a laugh out of it. That’s when there was still a spark in his eyes.”

Britta opened the door and gasped at what lay within. Usually, his office was an orderly place. A place that the chaos that was his mind was immune to. By the state of his office, that was no longer true. His desk had been flipped over and was lying sideways hanging off the couch. His chair was in multiple pieces, some of them embedded into the wall. His books, usually all carefully lined up were torn and scattered around the room. The only thing that hadn’t been touched was the news clipping he kept on the wall behind his chair. The Greendale Community College clipping of the Debate team’s only win in College History. Britta tried to stop Annie from walking in the room, but Annie pushed past her.

Britta closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, counting down _“3,2,1”_ and right on cue, she heard a wail and a thump on the group. She turned around and walked into the room. Just inside the doorway, Annie was sitting in a heap on the ground, legs folder under herself, body racked with sobs.

“What happened?” Annie asked, not even looking up from the ground.

“Again, Annie, you did. When you left and never came back, not even giving us a reason, he decided somewhere along the way that he had nothing left. Like I said, he got worse, he started drinking, started picking fights, disappearing, I think just to try and feel something. We never realized how much he depended on us. How much he depended on you. He had his father walk out without a reason, and then he had you disappear without a reason as well.”

Britta knelt down beside Annie “I told you, he’s broken, he's a shell.”

Britta walked over to the newspaper clipping and removed it from the wall, grabbing his phone and keys from behind in the notch Jeff had built to hide his scotch when Frankie was here. “Shit, he’s ghosted us again. I was hoping to catch him before he left. Looks like I never stood a chance.”

“We have to go find him”

“You can’t. He doesn’t want to be found, and from his lawyer days, he has enough guys who he got off charges that he can hide until he wants to be found.”

Britta looked sadly into Annie’s eyes “And I don’t think he would want you to find him, not like this”

Britta pulled out Jeff’s phone, and unlocked it with his pin, 1219. Annie saw it and gulped. The Phone unlocked and his home screen was on display.

Britta thumbed the last dialled and sighed “Damnit Jeff, don’t you know better by now” Britta said out loud, more to herself than anything. Jeff had two previously dialled numbers on his screen. One was Annie’s old number, he tried it every now and again, just hoping to even hear her voicemail. Britta knew he hated himself for it, pining over someone who wasn’t there anymore. The second number was the one she was talking about.

“Benjamin Chang.”

“He talks to him these days? I don’t remember him wanting to have much to do with him after Chang tried to invite himself into living with Jeff”

“He doesn’t but he must be desperate. Let’s head back to mine so I can grab a few things before I go to Jeffs apartment.”

“I’ll come to, maybe we can catch him there.”

The look Britta gave Annie withered any hope of finding him there. “You can come, but don’t expect anything.”

***

It was a silent ride of Jeff’s apartment. They pulled up in front of his building, beside the quiet Lexus. They got out of Britta’s car and Annie walked slowly around Jeff’s car, touching the door handle, and peering into the car, hoping to see some sign of its owner. All she could see were the scattered remains of mini scotch bottles and protein bars.

She released the door handle and looks to Britta “Do you still have his keys?” Britta nodded, knowing what the next question is, and raised the keys in her hand.

“Can you unlock it for me” the indicators flashed quickly, and Annie grasped the door handle and pulled, opening the door. She slid into the driver’s seat and quickly closed the door behind her. Britta turned away, knowing that Annie was sobbing quietly in the place she could get the closest to Jeff for now.

“Damnit Jeff, I know you can’t hear me, but I will find you, and I won’t leave you again.” Annie sat up straight, bringing out her phone and calling Jeff’s phone. It rung in Britta’s hand, and she looked at it, but seeing Annie staring at the phone, allowing it to go to voicemail. She left the same message on his phone, so one day, future Jeff will know this was the time where she stopped trying to do what he wanted. He wanted to make her own mistakes, but this is the one she intended to make. Annie took a deep breath and steps out of the car.

“Are you ready to continue onwards?” Britta asked Annie.

Annie nodded in silence. They walked up the stairs, Britta already palming the security fob into her fingers to open up the Glass door. They stepped into the foyer, once again, using the fob to open the elevator to the second floor. They stood in a comfortable silence as the elevator travels the short distance upwards to the second floor, making a soft “Bing” sound when they reached their destination. They stepped out and turned to the left, coming to the second door down the hall. Britta fumbles with the keys in her hand and turns them in the lock. She pushed open the front door, not knowing what to expect. Surprised, she looked around.

“He must have taken his feelings out on his office.” Looking around, she noticed he had some time to clean up. There are no cups in the sink or on the coffee table, no clothes on the floor. His departure almost looks planned.

Annie looked around the apartment she hasn’t seen in years. The first thing she noticed was the purple curtain they hung up one Christmas. Jeff had complained the entire time, almost 5 years ago when they hung them up, but there they still were, to this day. Not a speck of dust or dirt on them.

“Huh, he cleaned the curtains we hung.”

“He refused to take them down, said they would be here if you ever returned.” Annie looked away, eyes again stinging from tears. She looked down at the Coffee Table, sitting in the center of the table, was an Envelope addressed to Britta.

_“Britta,_

_I know what you are going to say, so can it. This isn’t one of my benders, so don’t worry. (even though you’ll call me a jackass for making you worry but isn’t that what family is for) I’m done being this, thing. If you can call me that. I know what you see every time you see me, it’s the same thing I see when I look in the mirror. You were right, and you know how much I hate to admit it, your master’s degree did allow you to see what I was hiding. Fear. Fear of never telling her how I felt. God, I should have done it years ago, I am going to go find her. Mark, my old Lawyer friend has offered to help get me started tracking her down. Last I heard she was still in DC at the FBI. He says he might be able to get me some information from them. It’s not much to go on, but I have to confront her. I have to let her know that I love her. I should have told her years ago. I’m not going to nut up and die alone. I know by now you have found my phone and my keys. I called Chang for a lift to the bus stop. Not my best idea, but Duncan’s drunk in his office and I don’t want you talking me out of this._

_Also, not going to put miles on the Lexus, are you crazy? I’m heading to Grand Junction. That’s where Mark has set up a small law firm after Ted’s collapsed._

_The FBI profiler today was good, almost as good at therapy as you when you’re not high, and she got me to admit out loud what happened in the Lab. I’ve never been able to talk about it, you only got it out of me half a bottle of scotch in. So, this is me, trying to dig myself out of my hole that I’m in. I’m not dead yet, so don’t count me out._

_I’ll get back in contact when I can._

_Look after yourself Britta._

_-Jeff."_

Britta looked at the letter, reading it slowly. “Huh. Are you sure he didn’t know it was you?” turning to Annie after reading it for the second time, the words slowly seeping into her.

“No, there was no way, I was behind him the whole time, we had the machine between us, so my voice was muffled and distorted”

“Maybe deep down he knew. This is the best I have seen him in years”

“So, what are we going to do now?”

“We? You’ve got to back to work, don’t you? You have Old Man to catch?”

“You know what? No, the FBI does, I was only brought on because I knew Peirce and I was thought to be able to help create a profile of where he could be. But this is too important to me. He might think he needs to find me, but I need to find him. Let me make a few calls.”

Annie pulled out her phone and walked towards Jeff’s bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she opened up her phone and looked at the background. It hadn’t changed since the year she had gotten the phone. It was the clipping picture of the same Greendale News Paper showing their only winning debate team. She brought up her phonebook and found her supervisors phone number.

“I’m going to find you Jeff.” Annie promised herself.


	3. First Steps Are Always The Hardest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Britta and Annie start their Journey behind their friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the start of a long Journey for our two Travelers

It took Britta and Annie a few days to get things sorted enough so Britta could leave. Annie was surprised on how serious Britta was about her job as Student Support Officer to the students at Greendale Community College. There were things that Britta couldn’t just up and leave. It also gave time for Annie to sort out her job as well. While her Supervisor wasn’t happy about it, and let her know about it in great depth, there wasn’t much he could do about it. Annie had never missed a day sick, never taken any holiday leave and always worked when needed, so when her request for a leave of absence when submitted, he had no choice. She spent the next few days in Jeff’s apartment, partly to give herself a quiet place to finalize her reports, but also as a chance to be close to Jeff. Apartment 303 was just too noisy with all the cats roaming around. Duncan had begrudgingly agreed to look after her cats while they were gone, admitting that Britta’s apartment had a better internet connection then his, along with better cable.

First thing Monday morning. Britta marched into the Deans office to find him browsing through a selection of Women’s Pumps. Without even looking up, he started to say “My sister has a birthday….” When he finally looked up, the sentence died on his lips.

“Well” Britta snarked “we both know that’s a lie, don’t we?”

“And to what do we owe this visit to Britta?”

“Jeff’s ghosted us again. I’m going to try and find him.”

“Jeffery!? Is he in trouble? Let me pack my overnight back and we’ll leave straight away!”

“No, Craig, sit.” her tone made Annie, who was waiting in the hall, feel like she was getting out a spray bottle to calm the little man down.

“But you might need my help, you can’t go on your own. Do you even know where he is?”

“Yes, we have an idea.”

“What do you mean we” Annie took that as her queue to enter the room.

Craig Pelton fell silent as the grave, going pale as a ghost himself. There was a look of unbridled disgust and fury in his eyes “Well Miss Edison, I would ask to what do we owe this pleasure, but as it seems Jeffery has done another disappearing act again, I think we know that’s a lie, don’t we.” Annie was taken aback by the venom in his voice

“Excuse me?”

“You think you can waltz in here and break his heart all over again?”

Britta interjected “Don’t worry about him Annie, he’s still in denial that Jeff finally got over the constant sexual harassment and told him to stop quite forcibly. Craig has always blamed it on you. Saying you 'stole' Jeff from him.”

“That was never the case, we just couldn’t get our act together. It was never meant to be Not ever. It was always meant to be Not Right Now. And Craig….” she said looking The Dean straight in the eye. “You never stood a chance, and we all knew that from day one.”

Annie turned to Britta “Are we done here?” She turned and walked out the door, not turning back.

Britta followed Annie out a few minutes later, her face a cloud of emotions. She walked over to Annie who was leaning against her car, thumbing through her phone.

“I can’t believe him!” Britta exploded “He had no right to be like that.” Annie looked down at her feet in the passengers footwell

“He kind of did. I did what I did, and now these are the consequences of our inaction, but now I need to make this right. Britta, I know I haven’t asked, but will you help me?”

“Of course, I will, did you even need to ask?” Britta said with a grin.

“Right” Annie nodded “It’s getting late, do we want to set out early in the morning?”

“That sounds like a good idea. Jeff would have only been able to get in touch with Mark today, and there is no way he can get some information on where you are right now in under 24 hours right? We'll get there sometime tomorrow lunch time. You’ll be able to set lover boy straight by mid-afternoon” Britta said, glancing at Annie who was blushing looking down at the floor at those words.

“idontknowwhatyoumean” Annie mumbled into her hair.

Britta laughed at Annie as they walked up the stairs to Jeff’s Apartment “Save it Annie.” Britta grinned at her “You need to make sure you are doing this for yourself as much as you are doing it for him.” Britta unlocked the door and let them both in “Annie, go to bed, think about this and I'll see you in the morning”

Lying in his bed, alone, was not how she always pictured being entangled in his sheets. She rolled over, turning from the wall to be facing the middle of the bed. She closed her eyes, feeling them stinging with tears and the possibilities that were denied to her because of their choices that led to her being the first time in his bed without him. Something she had always dreamed about since the Tranny Dance and their first real kiss, but now thinking of the years between now and then filled her with sadness and regret. She silently sobbed herself to sleep, cuddling into Jeff’s pillow, faintly smelling of his cologne.

_Jeff walked into the kitchen, dressed in just his boxer shorts, whistling to himself as he put on the coffee machine and grabbed two cups from the cabinet. He reached over and turned on the coffee machine, letting it warm up as he grabbed a filter and his ground beans. He poured some water into the machine and walked away, stopping to pick up his shirt from last night that was lying on the ground. He smiled as he brushed off the dust and took it to the laundry to do later. There was a knock on the door, he couldn’t figure out who would be knocking this early in the morning. Walking over to the door he opened it up and saw Craig standing there, in his white graduation dress, mascara running down his cheeks like he had been up all-night crying and a wild look in his eyes. He lunged at Jeff, screeching as he stabbed Jeff in the chest. Again and again he stabbed and stabbed, repeatedly until he had no more strength left. Jeff sunk to his knees, a small bubble of blood escaping his mouth “If I can’t have you, no one will” Pelton said, slowly as the madness in his eyes dimmed. He looked down to his hands, as if just noticing the blood running down his arms and the knife in his hand. He looked up, for the first-time making eye contact with Annie, standing there in Jeff’s oversized Greendale Shirt and Pajama Pants, eyes wide in fear. Craig got to his feet, lurching down the hallway. Annie ran over to Jeff, grabbing him and pulling him close to her. He weakly grabbed her hands and held them to his own. “It’s…” cough “going…” cough “to….” cough “be….” cough “okay” Jeff mumbled. “Shush shush, let me call an ambulance” “No, no, just stay with me” Jeff’s voice was now weak. Annie held him, feeling his grip on her hands become weaker and weaker until his hand slipped to the ground. Annie wailed as the bubble on Jeff’s lips popped._

Annie sat up straight in bed, still clutching Jeff’s pillow, screaming into it, giving her voice a hoarse, muffled sound. She looked around, wiping tears that had travelled from her dream world to her real world. She laid back down, clutching the pillow to her face, calming herself down and slowly sobbing back to sleep.

The phone buzzed beside her early the next morning. She reached over to the nightstand beside the bed to quickly switch off the alarm. Raising her head, she quickly saw the grey of dawn slowly starting to creep into the room through the window. She swung her legs around and sat on the edge of the bed. She reached down trying to find her shoes to pull them on. Britta would be getting up from the couch and she and Annie would leave quickly over to Grand Junction. Maybe, being Tuesday, Jeff had been delayed in getting in to see Mark and being sent in the wrong direction, making it impossible to find him.

Annie’s hand brushed against a shoe box under his bed. Her fingers curled around the lid and slid the box out from under the bed. It was a shoebox, old and worn. Carefully, she lifted the lid, finding several folded-up pieces of in the shoebox. She flicked through the box, seeing if there was anything at the bottom of the box, maybe something she could use. In her shuffling in the box, some of the paper started to come unfolded. She saw some words written on the pieces of paper, and one word faintly stood out. She squinted, not wanting to open the paper because it wasn’t hers to open. She turned her head slightly to the side “A” “N” “N” she didn’t need to read anymore. They were addressed to her. Her bottom lip started to quiver. She took the topmost piece of paper out and unfolded it.

_Annie,_

_This is the 3 rd letter I’ve written to you now. Not that you’d know, I’d have to know where to send them. It’s been 4 months since your last text message, and 3 months since I last tried to call. Your work must have had you cancel your number. Annie Edison, Secret Agent, undercover saving the world. I don’t know what I was so afraid of, I knew you’d be great out in the world. I miss you Annie, and I can’t even tell you. I thought I knew how much I would miss you when we stood in the library that night, but I was wrong. I never knew I would miss you so much. It’s like a part of me left when I dropped you off at the Airport. _

Annie didn’t bother to hold back the tears. She was by herself and she didn’t care.

_Britta says I’ve changed, but I don’t see it. Maybe I’m a little more wary, but that’s okay. You’ll be home soon, you have to be. You’ll be home soon, you have to be. You’ll be home soon, you have to be. Everything will be better soon…._

The letter tapered off into rambling about Paintball Wars and Capers. She opened another letter.

_Annie,_

_So, your number doesn’t work anymore. I’m worried about you. It’s been a month since your last text message, 2 months since your last skype call. I’m beginning to forget little things about you. The shape of your eyes when you laugh, or the sigh when I’ve done something you think is wrong. Do you remember the boys first blanket fort? When it collapsed around us and it was just us in our own little word. It’s getting hard to remember the feel of your shoulder against mine, the taste of your lips when you reached up. The sound of you sighing into my mouth. The way our mouths formed a perfectly around each other. I use to think it was a sign of weakness that being that close to you would make my mind turn to mush. I used to fight so hard against it. I didn’t want to ruin your life. You were so young, so full of energy, so full of life. You didn’t need me to bring you down. When you come back, and you will. I will sit down with you. We will have that talk that I have always avoided with you. The one you always wanted it. I will tell you how I feel. I love you, Miss Annie Edison, and if you’ll have me, I’m all yours._

“He never signed off the letters” she mused to herself. “He must have never meant to send them. Wonder if he knew what I would say” She picked up the notes and put them in her bag “Well, he did write them for me, so it’s technically not stealing” She went to put the box back under the bed, but stopped. She reached into her bag, pulling out her Purple Gel Pen and grabbing a piece of paper from the coffee table.

_Jeff,_

_I love you too. I’m coming to find you._

She finished her letter, placing it in the box and sliding it back under the bed.

***

Britta arrived shortly after Annie cleaned up, removing all visible trace of her existence in the Apartment. She got into Britta’s car and they head west out of Greendale, making progress towards Grand Junction. While Britta was driving, Annie was searching for any record of Mark.

“Britta” Annie turned “Do you actually know Mark’s Last name?”

“Ummm, no, actually I don’t. We never could get much out of him about his previous life”

“Well, Mark’s a Lawyer, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So, he shouldn’t be that hard to find right?” She entered the into search engine “Mark + Lawyer + Grand Junction”

“With a population of what? 65-66 thousand people? Shouldn’t be too hard.”

Her phone’s search results came back with a few seconds. “So, turns out there are 12 Lawyers in Grand Junction with the name of Mark.”

“Do you remember what he practiced?” Britta shook her head.

“Well, I’ll guess we will just have to start with the first one and work our way through the list. Jeff can’t have gotten far right?”

Annie keys in the address to the first one and helps Britta navigate and pull up on the street. Britta turns to Annie in the driver’s seat.

“Annie, let’s not get excited, we have a one in twelve chance of this being the right one.”

“I know, but I can hope, can’t I?”

That was the first in lawyer on the list, who had no idea about Jeff. Each time Annie felt like Jeff was slowly getting further and further away. Neither did the second, third or fourth. The fifth Lawyer they say said he might be able to remember a Jeff, for the right price. Annie looked it him in such disgust that he stopped mid-sentence and stared at his feet in silence until they left his office. They stopped for lunch at a local diner, just trying to grab a quick snack before moving onto the next name in their list.

“Annie, what if we are too late. What if we've already missed him?”

“Then when we find Mark, we’ll know where Jeff went” Annie looked down at the menu in front of her “and right now, as far as we know, Jeff is sober, not getting into fights” a small blush appeared on Annie’s cheeks “and looking for me.”

“Your right. I never thought of it like that. I’m so used to not knowing how I would find Jeff every morning. In a gutter, in the hallway outside of our apartment, not at all. It hasn’t been fun”

Annie nodded in agreement. “I don’t know what to say Britta, I never thought of all people, Jeff Winger would be like this” tears form in Annie’s eyes. She blinked a few times to pull back the tears that were threating to form. 

Britta reached over and took Annie’s hand in hers. “We are going to find the jackass.” Annie giggled with Britta’s name calling. “But we aren’t going to do that here” Britta reached in to find her purse and throw some bills on the table. They both get up, taking their drinks with them ready to continue the search for their lost friend.

The next lawyer on their list wasn’t aware of anyone named Jeff either. Rather than being dismayed, Annie saw the list getting smaller and smaller. “We're getting their Britta, the next one is it, I can feel it”

“I hope you're right Annie, I really hope you are.”

Britta turned the ignition off and slid out of the car. Annie followed suit and they moved towards the front door of the small office. Annie looked at the name of the door. “Mark Boyle, Attorney at Law” They pushed through the glass and metal door and entered the small reception. An elderly woman with silver hair sat behind the small reception hob, a headset over her messy bun. She looked up at the two women standing before them and smiled.

“Hello” she said with a slight southern drawl. “Do you have an appointment with Mr Boyle?”

Both Annie and Britta had been through this with the previous six Attorneys “No, sorry we don’t, but we were wondering if we could spare two minutes of his time. We have a matter of upmost urgency to discuss.”

The Silver Haired Receptionist glanced over her glasses and had a look in the calendar on her computer. “Let’s see, we can’t do today, but we can do 2:30pm in six months from now.”

Annie tried a different tact, she pulled out her FBI badge and flashed it to the Receptionist, seeing her face tighten. “Can we try this again, are we able to speak to Mr Boyle. We are currently searching for leads on a missing person”

“Let me see what I can do.” She quickly taps on her computer and looks back at them “He'll be available in a few minutes. Please sit down and feel free to help yourself to Tea or Coffee” She points to the corner of the room where there’s a small bar fridge and a coffee machine. Annie and Britta move over to the chairs in the waiting room.

Annie mumbles to Britta “Works every time” she says with a grin. They are only waiting for a few minutes, and a Moon-faced man steps out in a grey suit and burgundy tie. “Ladies” he smiles “My name is Mark Boyle, I believe you are looking for me. Sorry, I didn’t quite get your names.” He reaches to shake their hand.

“Britta Perry” Marks face instantly changes from smiling to grim. Annie catches the quick flick of nerves on Mark’s face at the mention on Britta’s name, making her stomach drop like a stone.

Britta continues “And this is my friend”

“Caroline Decker” Annie interjects.

If this startled Britta, she didn’t show it. “We are searching for a friend of ours, a Jeffrey Winger”

Mark’s started to wring his hands together. Britta leaned in. “Mark, tell us what you know”

His eyes shot up and looked at the two in their eyes. “Why don’t we talk about this in my office, please, ladies”. Mark stepped back into this office and holds the door open for them. Annie walked into the room, taking stock.

A wooden desk takes up half the room, and neatly stacked books in cases along the wall. A window sits opposite the bookcases, letting in the mid-afternoon light. “Please, take a seat” Mark says, gesturing to the two chairs sitting in front of his desk.

“Britta Perry, Jeff said you might come this way, but he didn’t say you’d be with company.”

Annie looks sharply at Mark “When did you last see him?”

“Oh, yesterday lunchtime. He called me from a public payphone and asked to come and collect him from the bus stop.” Mark chuckled to himself “Jeff Winger, on a bus. Who would have guessed?”

Britta and Annie both shared looks at each other “Did he tell you what he was doing here?”

“Why yes, but first, did you ladies want a drink?” Mark motioned to the drinks counter with a wide sweep of his arm to the left of the room.

“Please, no, we need to find our friend.” Annie pushed.

“Jeff is being a jackass and we need to find him. How is he?” Britta said impatiently.

“Looks like the man could use some more sleep, but other than that, it looks like good ole' Jeff Winger.” Mark said defensively.

“What was he looking for?” Annie pushed again.

“Not a what, a who.” Mark gave out the slightest breath.

“Are you just trying to stretch this out?” Britta questioned Mark, raising her eyebrows.

“I have no idea what you are talking about?” Mark sat back, folding his arms in front of himself.

“I’m sure you don’t. Now, where is that Jerk” Britta sat forward, putting her hands-on Marks desk.

Mark looked at them and sighed, sinking into his chair in front of them. “He said he’s trying to correct past mistakes. He’s trying to find the one girl who he never stopped loving. He kept on saying that variables be damned, and he was going to make the variables work for him now.”

Annie blushed and looked down so Mark couldn’t see the change in her in her complexion. Britta looked at Annie with a questioning look in her eyes, making Annie blush even harder.

Mark sat there, not paying attention to the interaction between the two sitting in front of her.

Britta turned away from Annie, looking back at Mark to continue on “So, where is he?”

Mark gulped down and looked between them “I don’t know where he is going, but I can tell you where I sent him.” He quickly jotted down an address on a piece of paper. Annie greedily snatched up the piece of paper. Holding it in her hand, she looked down at it, knowing this was another step closer to Jeff.

Britta turned to look at Annie. Annie nodded at Britta, indicating it was time to leave.

Annie spoke for the first time in what seemed like ages. “Thank you, Mark.”

Britta nodded the same as both ladies stood up and moved away from their chairs.

Mark watched the two ladies walk out of his office with a wry grin on his face. He stood up and walked over to where he kept his scotch. He poured himself a glass. He reached into his jacket inner pocket pulled out his phone.

Quickly, he taped into the phone “They were here, they aren’t far behind. I’m done, you’re on your own.” He took another sip of his drink and threw his phone on his desk.

***

“Are you sure this is the address that Mark gave us?”

Annie looked at her phone and nodded “Yes” She looked at Britta nervously “What is going on here” They both looked out the Windshield at the address in front of them “Grand Junction Paintball Fields” They both look back at each other

“Who are we looking for in here?”

“Paintball Ref Stone”

“And what would he know about where I am?”

“Probably nothing at all, but this is our best chance to catch up to Jeff, we need to take it.”

Britta killed the ignition and looked at Annie. “Annie, there is something I need to know. Every time he got drunk at the bar, he would end up muttering one word over and over again. 'Variables' and now Mark says he wants to change the 'Variables'. What did he mean by that?”

“It was one of the last things I said to him, in the library, that everything was out of our hands, too many variables.” Britta nodded as she remembers “You were all there, but I was talking about him and me.”

Britta looked at Annie, holding Annie’s gaze for so long that Annie broke away. “He really does love you, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, I think he does. He’s doing all this to find me. Right?”

Britta nodded, pulling the keys out of the ignition and getting out of the car. Annie quickly followed suit. The walked up the footpath and entered into the building to the front of the lot. Annie walked up to the front counter, looking at the cashier behind the counter.

“Hey, we're looking for one of your Referees, person by the name of Stone”

Looking bored, the cashier looked up from their phone and pasted a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Referee Stone is currently in the middle of a ground war match, due to finish at lunch time tomorrow. The area is sealed until such time as all contestants are eliminated from the playing field”

“This is important, we need to speak to him urgently.”

“No, sorry, we are contracted to not open the area to non-combatants, to help with the immersion of the scenario.”

Annie and Britta share a glance at each other. “Well, nothing for it, how much to enter?” Annie says, an evil grin slowly appearing on her face, matching Britta’s.

***

And that is how, after the 10-minute safety briefing, they entered the Sealed Ground War. Britta and Annie shared a look as they gripped their paintball guns and quickly ran into cover. Britta turned to Annie “why does this place look familiar?”

“I have that feeling too.” They quickly ran into the closest building, quickly checking their corners and closing the door behind them.

“Okay, so they are 12 hours in, we have an unknown number of combatants with an unknown number of weapons and unknown amount of ammo.”

“So basically, we got this?” Annie replied with a feral grin “but don’t forget, we need to find Stone, quickly.”

Britta nodded and they started walking down the hallway. A sign on the wall said “Cafeteria”. Slowly, they stalked down the hall, taking their time to get used to the playing field. The turned a corner and were met with two closed doors. Standing on either side of them, they slowly open one and peer in. The room seemed empty, lights flickering casting hellish shadows on the overturned tables and chairs. The vending machines flicked on and off, adding to the ethereal look in the cafeteria.

Annie looked over at Britta “You know….”

“Yeah, this is Greendale. Why have they replicated Greendale?”

“I’m not sure, but maybe it’s just here. Let’s keep an eye out for anything else.” The moved towards the student lounge, stopping only when they thought they heard something coming from the doors to the outside. They Carefully crept up to the doors leading to what they thought would most likely look like “The Quad”. Staring out the glass double doors, they can see an imitation Luiz Guzman Statue staring back at them.

Suddenly, a group of overall clad warriors marched across the quad, moving in formation towards the Science Building. Annie and Britta watched them pass and slipped out of the door and stalked the group, carefully taking aim. Annie signalled to Britta, counting down, slowly whispering “3, 2, 1” and opened fire on the group from behind.

Annie, being that she had FBI weapons training, was able to quickly despatch 3 of the 4, while Britta took out the remaining one. They all looked crestfallen to turn around and see the two had taken them out.

“Drop the guns and ammo and leave them behind!” Annie yelled. Sullenly, they dropped their guns and remaining ammo and walked towards to front of the paintball range. Britta scampered to reach the dropped weapons, being covered by Annie using Mr Luiz Guzman as cover. Ducking between trees and hedges, they make a beeline towards the library. They quickly darted through the door and dived towards the shelves

“Is it just me, or has this been the slowest paintball game alive? Did we take out the only four people?” Annie pondered as they quickly caught their breath. To answer Annie’s question, four paint pellets exploded just to the bookshelves to the side of Britta’s head.

“Move! Move!” Britta yelled as they both dived to their sides. The rolled up and quickly scanned from where the pellets came from. As they ducked their heads around the shelves. They quickly scanned the room, seeing another squad of four in overalls quickly moving around the shelves moving into a flanking position. Annie’s FBI training kicked in, recognizing what they were doing.

She screamed at Britta “BRITTA!! MOVE!! NOW!”

They quickly got to their feet, and using the low bookcases, the moved towards to double glass doors next to them. They quickly shut the doors and barricaded it with a chair, they quickly leant against the door and breathed a collective sigh of relief, only then having a chance to gaze at their surroundings. They both stood in shock for a second, staring at Study Room F.

Both Annie and Britta didn’t know what to say, they just stood gaping at each other. The room was laid out exactly how they left it when they finally graduated. The Chairs still sat around the Table Mark II. Annie could almost see the ghost of years past sitting around the table, laughing at something that Jeff said, nodding knowingly as Abed gave some sage TV reference which somehow became real, or copying notes from Annie after a Spanish or History class.

Annie’s eyes filled with tears, remembering the last time she saw Jeff, sitting down facing front, wired to a machine, admitting to anyone who wanted to hear that he loved her. She wondered if he had known she was there, whether he would have said the same thing. Britta looked around and saw the same things, but she also saw the friends she made, Frankie, Duncan, Dean Pelton and Hickey, and friends long gone, but never forgotten, Elroy and Pierce.

They cautiously moved through the room, quickly checking their corners and ducking down behind the couches. Annie and Britta nervously chuckled to themselves.

“Well, now we know” Britta quickly glanced sideways to Annie.

“What do we know?” Annie repeated

“We know we aren’t still alone.”

“Okay, we need to concentrate on finding the Referee’s. We know this layout, where would they be in the best position to monitor the game?”

They both looked at each other. Annie smacked her hand into her head. “The Deans Office. It’s where we always end up.”

“It would be like that? Wouldn’t it? But how can we get there?”

Britta looked at her and laughed “Finally, Benjamin Chang is coming in use for something” as she eyed the Air Vent that sat just behind Annie’s Seat. They removed the vent cover and started climbed in after each other, pulling the vent in closed behind them.

Britta turned around to looks at Annie “If we find your boobs running around the vents, you’re on your own.”

Annie snorted and muttered “Damn you Troy”. They moved quickly though the vents “Do you have any idea why this place looks like Greendale?”

“No idea, but I think someone is messing with Jeff and Us” Britta snorted through a layer of dust. They continued to shuffle through air vents, coming to a down vent that led outside, facing the Gymnasium. They looked around, waiting a few minutes to make sure they hadn’t been seen or heard.

They quietly slipped off the vent cover and crawled into some bushes. They quickly looked over at the Administration Building. Covering the front door, was two guards, lazily standing, keeping their hands over their weapons.

Annie whispered to Britta “They really don’t want us to get into that room do they” Britta shook her head, her blonde hair moving in the breeze. They sat and watched for five minutes, watching the guards slowly work there way through the area.

“Britta, you take the one on the left, I’ll take the one on the right. Wait for them to move to our three o’clock. Move out” Annie paused to take a breath “now.”

Quickly, they stalked the two guards, waiting for them to move around the corner, quickly ducking around the corner and firing off a quick two shots, hitting the two guards in their backs, who moved off under Annie’s and Britta’s watchful eyes.

They quickly darted into the main door of the administration building, sweeping down the hallway, encountering another four groups of two. “Does this seem a little two easy to you?” Britta whispered to Annie.

“Yeah, but what chance do they stand? We have fought how many Paintball Wars on this setting? Plus, I have 3 years of FBI training.” Annie shook her head, a small grin on their face “I wonder how Jeff went with all this” Anne mused, arriving at the door into the Dean’s bullpen.

Annie peaked through the keyhole, not seeing any guards in the bullpen. They quickly opened the door and ran in, quickly surveying the room and firing towards the door of the Dean’s office, taking out two surprised guards standing in the corner behind the door. They ran over to the Deans Office, throwing open the door and closing it behind them. There, behind the desk, watching the monitors, was a man sitting in a mask and referee gear.

Without saying a word to them, he got up, the name tag of “Stone” clearly on the left side of the jersey. He looked at both, and with a muffled sound, “What are you doing in here?’ he shrieked.

“We are wanting to know where you sent the tall man yesterday.”

“Jeff Winger? He was sent onto Salt Lake City” he said, in a less shrieky voice.

Annie’s eyes narrowed “Why would he be sent there” she mused, “I’ve never been there before.”

“Doesn’t matter, let’s move” Britta said, hurrying them along.

Stone looked at them “You are both still viable contestants” Annie and Britta both looked at each other

“Well, no other way” without even thinking, they both shot each other in the feet. They drop their guns, making their way back to the main entrance.

Stone watched the two ladies walk out of The Office/Security Center, checking over their shoulders for enemy combatants. After they left the room, he pulled out his phone and send a message “They made it here, I’ve sent them onto Salt Lake City” He put his phone away back under the desk.

After getting to navigate back to the main building, they gather all their items they left for safe keeping, not paying to them any attention as she played fruit ninja on her phone.

They both jumped back into Britta’s car, both looking at each other as it struggled to come to life. It finally sputtered to life and they headed north to Salt Lake City, Utah. 


	4. Journey into the Dungeons of Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie and Britta continue on their quest to find the missing Jeff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for following along with our road trip. Big thanks to the Community Discord Fan-Fic Channel.
> 
> Big thanks to Childish_Glover, 1stimefeeling and Kian for helping me get these chapters done.

Chapter 4

Stepping out of the car, Annie and Britta both stood up, stiffly at first, feeling blood slowly coming back to their limbs. It was late afternoon in Salt Lake City, as they had left as soon as they could from Grand Junction and driving straight through, only stopping for gas and a quick lunch. On leaving Grand Junction, Annie had been doing her research on hotels they could stay at for the night before leaving to continue with their journey. After looking at reasonable hotels, they had decided on the Holiday Inn Express. Stone had given them address on the outskirts of town, and neither of them were comfortable heading into unknown areas’ coming into twilight. They opened the door and stepped through to the reception area. It was brightly lit, a small lounge waiting area off the right hand of the main doors, with the reception counter to the left. Even though it was early summer, A fire was lit in the recess over the waiting area.

Annie stood at the reception counter behind a main of brown curly hair. “I don’t understand” the lady in front said to the receptionist. Annie looked at Britta in amazement, mouthing “No way” Britta’s grin was infectious and they both soon wearing matching grins.

The Lady in front continued “I don’t understand” she repeated “how you could lose someone’s reservation. Lord help me”

Britta couldn’t contain herself “The Lord can’t help you now”

There was a visible shudder from the lady in front, slowly turning on the spot staring at the two woman “Bri-tta, An-nie, What are you doing here” she shrieked in amazement “it’s a long story” Shirley threw her arms around the girls standing in front of her now.

“What seems to be the problem Shirley”

“They have lost my reservation. My employer booked a room for me to come down and chase a lead for him”

They both looked at Shirley “Chase down a lead?” Britta asked enquiringly.

“Yes, my employer, Detective Butcher, is investigating a Grifter who came and cleaned out some elderly people, goes by the name of Ty Webb. But anyway, what are you two doing here?”

“We are just passing through, we’ll be leaving here hopefully tomorrow.”

Annie ducked to one side “One booking for Edison”

“Ah yes, Miss Edison, let me just arrange that for you”

Annie could hear Shirley’s strangled cries in the background “don’t worry Shirley, you can bunk with us” Britta told her, trying to calm her down.

Annie grinned back at Shirley “It will just be like old times” as she grabbed the room card from the hotel attendant.

They quickly made their way back to their room, shutting the door behind them.

“How did you get a room when they lost mine” Shirley asked suspiciously while Annie was grabbing out her toiletries.

“Oh, that’s easy” Annie pulled out her FBI badge and flashed it towards Shirley. “It’s amazing what you can do with a badge”

Shirley groaned as she sat down on the lounge as she groped in her oversized handbag for her phone to check for messages from her boys.

Britta glanced at Shirley “How are the boys at the moment”

Shirley’s face lit up, “Oh Bri-tta, I thought you would never ask” She flicked through the screens on her phone, bringing up her gallery. “Elijah and Jordan are growing up to be fine strapping boys, and Benjamin is still my baby boy” She scrolled though some photos showing them in their school uniforms and sport uniforms.

Annie walked back over, looking over their shoulder at the photos on the phone. “Aww Shirley look so grown up” Annie gushed. “I think we need to explain a few things” Annie looked at Britta “We are here to find Jeff. He ghosted us in Colorado, and we are on his trail”

“Why are you tracking Jeff? What’s he done to deserve being chased by the FBI”

Annie turned to Britta, a look of incredulousness across her face. “Doesn’t she know?”

Britta shook her head “No, we never told anyone about Jeff”

Shirley looked at the two “What Jeffery done this time”

Annie fought back tears “He’s looking for me” she said quietly “I never came back from my internship, and lost contact, and he didn’t handle it. He was always the strong one, but that was just an act, he needed his family, the one we all created.” Britta put a hand on Annie’s Shoulder.

They all sat in silence for a minute, letting Annie’s moment of truth sink in. Shirley turned to Britta, all semblance of nicety out of her voice “What do you mean you never told anyone about Jeff”

Britta looked defiant for a split moment, and then deflated and looked down “Once everyone left, and he realized that no one “ Britta glanced at Annie, who hadn’t looked up from the floor “was coming home, Jeff watched all our hard work of rebuilding Greendale slowly slide backwards to become the toilet shaped hole it was before we made it better. He couldn’t stand it, he started drinking, started fighting” She paused for a breath “He started not caring”

The silence was broken by Annie’s sobbing.

Shirley looked at the two women sitting in front of her “Well then, I guess we better find the fool and sort him out, lord help him”

“Shirley” Annie’s tear shaped face came up “We can’t ask you to do that, you’re here for your work, you’ve got to get back to your boy”

“Annie, that man is like a uncle to my boys. He needs us. At the moment, I got a few days till I need to check in with Mr Butcher”

Annie leapt up and wrapped her arms around Shirley’s neck, a smile on her face “thank you thank you thank you thank you”

Shirley returned the hug “Now, ladies, let’s get cleaned up and get some dinner”

**

They arrived at the warehouse that they had been given by Stone the next morning. Shirley looked puzzled and pulled at the Manilla folder that she had been given by Mr Butcher from her bag “Why, Bri-tta and An-nie, this is the same address I was given. What is going on?”

“We aren’t too sure ourselves, someone has us on this chase and has us revisiting our past, yesterday we had a paintball war in a replica of Greendale” Britta answered, still eyeing the warehouse in front of them.

They stepped out of Britta’s car and stood on the sidewalk. In front of them, a small door in the front of the warehouse. They gingerly stepped inside the darkened doorway. Looking around and letting their eyes adjust to the dimly lit room.

“Are they torches?” Shirley asked in wonderment, looking at the tall torches, lit and flaming, circling the room. Annie nodded slowly in agreement.

“This is a bit, isn’t it” Britta asked, looking around the room for the camera she knew had to be there. She scanned the room for anything that could help them. In the centre of the room, was a long rectangular table covered in a deep red tablecloth, lit by a single torch was lit in the middle. Other than the table, there was no other furniture in the room. They walked towards the table. A single figure in a dark robe emerged from the darkness and stood at the end of the table

“I think your right Britta”. Annie whispered back to her as they walked as one to the table in the centre of the room.

The figure in the dark robe brought a staff to the stand in front of him, tapping it three times on the floor.

“My name Dungeon Master Stone” he said with a voice sounding like it’s being drawn over gravel. “You are all here seeking the most powerful of all weapons” He paused, the air heavy with tension “Information” the dark hood swept around, seemingly gazing at all who stood in front of him “But to get this Knowledge, a game you must play” He motioned to the table in front of him, dice and player sheets in front of him.

The three looked to each other “Did a tall man see you yesterday?” Annie asks hopefully to the man in the dark robe

“No” his voice comes out slowly “A traveller known to me as Marrrrr came to me, in this hallowed spot, seeking forth information only last night in his quest to find his beloved” Annie blushed at that last remark. “Now, please, take your allotted position and hence travel forth”

It took Annie moment for the butterflies in her stomach to settle down enough to realize when Jeff was here. She squeaks in shock “Last Night!! Where is he now” Britta holds Annie back before she leaps over the table to yank the Dark Robe off his feet.

“All will be answered when the quest has been completed” The Dark Robed Dungeon Master intones in his deep voice. If this line of questioning didn’t raise a dozen a question’s in Shirley’s head, she didn’t choose now to voice them.

The Greendale three walk over to their positions around the table and flip over their character sheets. They take a moment to inspect their respective sheets.

Annie reads out her name first “I’m Hector the Well Endowed. Wait a second, wasn’t this my name for the last two games we played?”

Britta turns hers over “Lavernica, wait, that was mine for the first one”

Shirley quickly turns over hers “Zippideedoo” She looks over at the person in the dark robe “What game you are playing here boy” she says in her deep, mom voice.

The robe does not acknowledge that remarks, and continues in his monologue “Now, let’s begin. We start the quest in an open field, west of a white house with a boarded front door….”

Over the next few hours, the three travel the kingdom, in search of lost treasure, forgotten cities and small villages, the atmosphere in the room grows with each roll of the dice.

Slowly, the trio made their way through the world the Dark Robe was laying out for them. The party of three encounter Goblins and Elves, Thieves and Rogues, Frost and Fire Giants, Demogorgon’s and Tiamat’s.

After many hours of questing, the arrived at the Dark Tower of the Necromage Yannick, they quickly disabled the guards surrounding the tower and quickly ascended the stairs to the top of the Tower, taking time to disable the spells in place to protect its owner, quickly opening up to the top of the tower, where a large obsidian thrown sat, emanating darkness outwards, throwing long shadows all over the room. A withered man sat on the throne. As the three entered the room, the withered head turned to face them, grinning with yellow teeth at them, leering at them.

Over the next few hours, they battled the Necromage, rolling hit after hit, spell after spell. They had a close couple of rounds, the Necromage almost wiping them out, and then them coming close to taking out the Necromage.

Annie was tired, hungry and just wanted this to be all over. She looked at the Dungeon Master “How many hit points does this Necromage have left”

The dungeon master answered back in his hollow voice “Necromage Yannick has a small amount health points left, but I cannot tell you this”

Annie thought about it for a second, thinking back to her list of spells “I cast a spell of sight to see how many health points the Necromage has left”

The Dungeon Master nods his head, his hood moving up and down, he looked down at his guidebook, along with the character sheet “Yannick has 17 points left”

Annie does a quick calculation in her head “I cast a spell of fire on my sword and roll for attack.” Again, the Dungeon Master nods, raising his hand and rolling a twenty-sided die. Stone looks at the dice and raises his head “You roll a one and fumble your attack” Annie cursed as her attack fumbled as she lightly touched the back of the Necromage.

Annie turned to Britta “Britta, do you still have the dagger you picked up in the mines of Drthen Fyr?” Britta looked at her characters Inventory “Yes, do you need it?” “No, it’s your turn now, does it still have the holy +5 Enchantment?” Britta’s eyes lit up “Yes, I equip the Dagger and roll for attack”

The Dungeon Master again nods and rolls the dice in front of him “You roll a 12…” Britta screams “and +5 gets us to 17” jumping up and down.

The Dungeon Master nods his head and marks against the character sheet for Yannick. He looks at them and intoned in his deep voice “And with the last lunge of her knife, Lavernica slays the Necromage. The throne shattered into a million pieces, darkness fleeing from the room with a magical roar. With the retreating darkness, you have freed the kingdom from his evil rein and removed the curse upon the land. Thank you, adventurers, for completing this quest”

The Dungeon Master raised his head from the Game Manual, reached under the table, taking two folded sheets and handing them to both Annie and Shirley “Please, take your rewards from your long quest” Annie and Shirley both took the pieces of paper from the Dungeon Master.

Not waiting for any further interaction from the three ladies, a pair of hands lowered his hood, revealing the face of Duquesne come to life. No longer Fat Neil, he had grown his hair and beard, making him now look like a proper Dungeon Master underneath his Dark Robe. He looked at them with awe.

“That was the best game ever!” he laughed.

He tapped his staff against the table, looking up at them, a spark of glee in his eyes.

All Three Ladies shouted “NEIL!!” and surrounded him with a hug.

When they had all settled down from the initial shock of seeing their friend, Britta spoke to Neil “Neil, we are looking for a two people. Firstly, Shirley is tracking down a grifter, by the name of Ty Webb, and we are looking for Jeff”

The shock of seeing her friend again had momentarily surprised Annie, and she had actually forgotten the piece of paper in her hand. With Trembling hands, Annie unwrapped the piece of paper, with two words on it. “Las Vegas” “Were going to Las Vegas?”

Shirley looked over in shock “Me too!” they all shook their heads.

“Shirley, did you want to come with us?”

“If you have room, I caught a plane here and I don’t have time to rebook, when do we leave?”

“First thing in the morning?”

“Sounds good”

“But before we leave” they turned as one to face Neil “Who’s behind all of this” Shirley said in her sweetest, but don’t mess with me voice.

Neil gulped down before he spoke “I honestly don’t know. This is what I do for a living, host Dungeon and Dragon Games here, it’s gotten really popular lately. I had two bookings made, one for today for a party of 1, which I was able to fill with other plays, and a booking for 3. I wasn’t told who the bookings were for just I had to stay in Character until the quest was over. Whoever made the bookings arranged for it to be paid in cash, with extra for me to stay in Character. I so wanted to tell you the whole time”

“Didn’t you think to ask why?” Annie asked quickly before Britta.

“In this economy, if someone pays a bit extra for something as simple as me keeping my hood up, who am I to say no?”

They all nodded at that. Annie turned to Neil, and in a quiet voice, she asked “how did Jeff look?”

“He looks like Jeff, he looks like he’s been through some things, but it looks like it’s helping himself out.” “He looks good” he repeats. Annie looked up, a smile starting to creep around her lips.

“If anyone has any more questions?” Britta asked everyone, looking at her phone and noticing the time. “We’ve been here for hours and I could go some pizza” They all shook their heads and gave Neil a hug goodbye. They turned around and walked back over to the warehouse door and stepping into the sparkling twilight.

Neil watched them leave the warehouse, waving as they turned back around and walked out the door. Neil reached into his robe and pulled out his phone.

He quickly typed a message “I don’t know why you are doing this, but they are on their way now”

He put the phone back into his pocket and turned around to a spot only he knew about “Hey Vicki!” he called out “Did you get all of that? That’s gonna make a sweet YouTube video!”

***

Arriving back at the hotel, they entered their shared room. Annie flopped down on the couch, making a squeak as her back hit the back of the couch harder than she expected. Britta sat down beside her, expelling a lung full of air.

“So, now onto Vegas?

“You know what this means, we are only a few hours behind him. We are catching up to him” Annie’s smile grew again, and then grew into a yawn

“Anyway, I’m going to get an early night today, I’ll see you bright and early in the morning” Annie got up, patted Britta on the shoulder and slipped into the bedroom.

Annie sat in the darkened room, light from the clock radio illuminating the room and a dull red glow. Annie pulled her knees up to her chest and rocked slowly on her bed. She shook her head and stretched her legs out in front of her. She turned on the light on the desk in her room and took out her Purple Gel Pen. She tapped it against her teeth and pulled down the notepad the top of the desk.

_Jeff,_

_You big stupid head, if you only sat still for a day, I’d find you, and you’d find me, and we could go home. Don’t you see that someone is leading us on a wild goose chase? But as long as your running, we’re running behind you to. God, I miss you Jeff. I’m not going anywhere again in this life without you again. Wait for me Jeff._

_Always yours._

_Love Annie._

Annie finished writing her letter to Jeff folded it neatly and put the notepad back. Annie turned off the light and climbed into bed, falling asleep holding the letter to Jeff in her hand.


	5. Close Encounters of the Jeffkind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The now Trio make their way to Vegas, but, are they too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shout out to the Discord Fan Fic Channel for their support in getting through these chapters. You guys are great. 
> 
> Thanks to Harestomp (Kian), Childish_Glover,1sttimefeeling (jeffwing) AlmightyMirage, (Mirage) and Morganatique9 (Morganecdote). They all post work on here, you should check them out. 
> 
> Or come check out our Discord Channel.....

Chapter 5

Annie woke up early in the morning. “This is the day Jeff, you’re not going to get away from me again” She rose, quickly grabbing her things and throwing them into her bag, before making her way out the door to rouse both Shirley and Britta. After a quick breakfast, they jumped into Britta’s car. Again, the car struggled to come to life.  
  
“Britta, is your car going to last much longer?” Annie asked, suspiciously eyeing the dashboard of Britta’s old car.

“It’s fine, it’s been doing this for months now. This car will outlast us all” Britta waved off Annie.

“Okay, if we take the Route 15, we should be there just after lunch. Vegas is a massive place, but we’ll catch up to Jeff today, I can feel it” Annie explained, bouncing slightly in her seat.

“Lord knows, you need to tell that boy what he’s put you through An-nie, it’s not right for him to expect this much from you” Britta nodded in agreement as Shirley continued “Do you have a plan for when you do catch up with him?”

Annie laughed “Firstly, going to slap him for making me worry about him. Then, I’m going to slap him again for making me chase him like this. Then I’m going to tell him how I feel and not let him out of my sight until he talks to me. Properly. Like he should have years ago”

Britta also laughed out loud “I can’t wait to see that.”

Annie shot her a glare “I think I’ll be having this talk to him, alone. You can therapize him afterwards” Britta fist pumped in the air, accidently punching into the roof liner of the car.

The quickly left the hotel parking lot, and Britta steered her car out of Salt Lake City, down Route 15, next stop being Las Vegas.

***  
  


One gas stop and two toilet breaks, the Britta’s old car pulled into Las Vegas, Nevada, current population 662,000, plus tourist. By this stage, Annie was driving the car as they had swapped over last toilet break. Annie switched off the ignition. Alarmingly, the car made a hollow _“thunk”_ sound as it stopped. Annie looked at Britta who seemed non-plussed over it.

“Annie, it’s fine, this car has been doing it for months. This car will outlast us and still be around after the next war where we are all sealed into vaults and end up as couriers for various factions” Britta told her, seeming to shrug it off.

“Okay, if you say so” Annie reply, dubious over the thoughts of a faction-based society, and how that would work.

“An-nie, where should we start”

“If we were Jeff, and he was looking for me, where do you think he would start?”

“I’m not too sure, I am guessing he was given the same information as we were, which is just the words _“Las Vegas”_ ” Annie turned to Britta “Britta, you’ve been with Jeff these past few years, if you were him, were would you start”

“Nearest Bar” Britta said, without hesitation before thinking to herself “No, actually, if Jeff is acting how I think he’s been acting, and being that he would have arrived in last night, he would have found a semi decent hotel and started looking this morning. In all likeliness, he’s still here in the city right now”

Annie smiled at that thought “See, told you we’d find him today”

“Hold on sweetie” Shirley cautioned “Don’t get your hopes up. With a standing population of over Six hundred and Sixty Thousand people, not including tourist, that’s a lot of haystacks to go through”

“I know, but we are so close, I can almost see him” Annie replied, looking at the crowd milling around the Las Vegas Strip. Vaguely, she thought she saw a very real likeness of Jeff in the distance, but that was probably just wishful thinking on her part she thought.

“Okay” Britta thought, taking control of the situation “let’s think, Jeff doesn’t have a car, doesn’t have a phone that we know of, so he wouldn’t have gone far from the Airport. Annie, can you see if there is a hotel around there that meets the Jackasses standards?”

Shirley, not being around Britta in the past few years, looked both shocked and amazed at her young blonde friend “Britta, when did you get so smart” she said, before covering her mouth “Sorry, I didn’t mean that”

Britta waved her off “It’s fine, last time you saw me, I was high all the time and a bit of a ditz. After you left, I had to grow up to rely on myself, and help Jeff. I’ve grown as both a person and a woman now”

While this exchange was happening, Annie had been searching Hotels and filtering out hotels she thought he wouldn’t stay in “Yes, the Luxor is one point 8 miles from the Airport. Easy enough for Jeff to both get to and get from”

“Alright” Britta said, grabbing the car keys and quickly sprinting back to her car.

A few minutes later, Britta’s car pulled up in front of the hotel. With a splutter and spurt, the car died as she pulled the keys from the ignition. Annie, not waiting, quickly dove out the passenger’s door and ran into the Reception Area. She came to a stop in front of the front counter and looked at the concierge over the counter.

“Excuse me” Annie said, “Can you tell me if there is a hotel guest here by the name of Jeffrey Winger?"

"I'm sorry Ma’am” the concierge replied in a slightly snooty voice “We cannot divulge information about our guests”

Annie reached into her pocket to pull out an ID “Let’s try this again” Annie flipped open her ID, producing her FBI badge and Credentials “Can you tell me if there is a hotel guest here by the name of Jeffrey Winger?”

After squinting at the supplied credentials, the concierge straightened slightly, quickly tapping on the keyboard in front of them. “Yes, I can confirm there is a one guest named Jeffrey Winger staying with us at present”

Annie’s stomach flipped over, butterflies going in full force “Can you please provide a room number?”

Again, the concierge tapped on their keyboard “That’s level 30, room 3”

Annie put her FBI badge back into her pocket and turned hurriedly away “Thank you for your assistance”

As she turned around, Shirley and Britta were just coming to a stop behind her “So?” Britta asked.

“He’s here!” Annie tried to contain herself

“Well then, what we are waiting for?” Shirley exclaimed.

They quickly ran over to the elevator to the left side of the room, quickly pressing the up button. A soft _“Bing”_ went off as the Elevator arrived on their floor and they quickly piled into the small elevator and pressed the thirtieth-floor button. As the door closed, they heard the other elevator “ _Bing”_ softly as its doors opened.

To Annie, time seemed to slow down and the journey between the ground floor and the third floor seemed to have taken forever. Eventually, a soft _“Bing”_ played over the small speaker in the ceiling and the doors opened. Annie, not waiting, strode out and started counting room numbers

“1” she counted, passing a room service cart.

“2” she counted, passing an elderly couple emerging to go downstairs.

“3” Annie stopped dead in her tracks. Within seconds, Britta and Shirley were at her heels.

“Annie, hurry up and knock on the door. That’s what we are here for” Britta encouraged.

“An-nie, what are you waiting for?” Shirley also encouraged.

Annie raised her hand and knocked. She heard a soft banging sound behind the door as someone closed a cupboard. A lock on door rattled as it was unchained, and a popping sound of the doorknob was heard. The door swung open. Behind the door, stood a small woman in a cleaning staff outfit.

“Can I help you?” She asked. Over her arm, was a pile of clean towels.

“The occupant of this room? Is he here?” Annie asked quickly.

“No sorry, you just missed him, he left here only a minute or so ago” the room service attendant said

Annie thought back _‘We didn’t see him in the lobby, but the other elevator did open as our closed’_. Britta had also made the same connection. “He got out of the Elevator as we got in”

“Thank you” Annie said to the attendant. Turning to Britta and Shirley “Quickly, let’s go”

They sprinted back to the elevator, Annie hitting the down button and looking at the two elevators, one saying floor five and one in the basement.

“Come on, come on, come on, come on” Annie chanted, willing the elevators move quicker. Slowly, the elevator on the basement level crawled back up to their level. As the doors opened, Annie jumped into the Elevator slamming on the buttons to go back down to the ground level. Britta and Shirley followed quickly as well, not wanting to get left on the thirtieth floor with only the stairs as their means of descending. Annie counted down the levels, urging them to go quicker.

“Twenty-Five”

“Twenty-Four”

“Twenty-Three”

She took a deep breath to calm herself. She sniffed the air again.

“Hey, can you two smell that?” Annie asked her companions

Britta took another sniff, holding her nose “Eww, I know that smell, it’s from the Jackass”

“What? He was just here?” exclaimed Shirley

“Yes” Annie said, bouncing on the heels of her feet, ready to run out of the Elevator. It had only been a few minutes since they went up, and maybe he was still in the lobby waiting for a taxi. Annie could feel her heart trying to beat out of her chest. She went back to counting the floors, inhaling deeply to get as much of Jeff’s cologne before it dissipated into thin air.

“Four”

“Three” The elevator stopped, its doors sliding open to let on an elderly couple

“Two”

“One”

“Ground” Annie waiting impatiently for the elderly couple to leave the elevator before bursting out, scanning the entire room with her eyes, searching for any trace of a 6-foot-tall man with permanent bed hair. No one in the reception hall met that description. Britta, already thinking ahead was heading out to the Taxi Rank outside.

She ran over to the Valet “Excuse me, have you seen a tall man recently, like in the past couple of minutes, around 6-foot, tight shirt and large forehead?”

The Valet nodded “Yes, he just got in a cab a few minutes ago, was heading over to the Strip”

Britta turned to Annie and Shirley, who had just made it outside “Come on, let’s go” she said as she sprinted for her car. Jumping into the driver’s seat, she put the keys in the ignition, the car sputters to life, vibrating the entire car as they sped down the road, heading towards the Famous Las Vegas Strip.

They arrive at the Las Vegas strip, and even though they were hot on Jeff’s trail, they were still awed by the sight of the World-Famous Las Vegas Strip. Everywhere they looked for Jeff, it was somewhere they had seen on a TV show, and it was hard not to be star struck as they wandered in and out of building, searching for a trace of Jeff. They at some stage, they found an Elvis impersonator who thought he might have seen Jeff walk past a few minutes ago, but he couldn’t be sure without some sort of compensation, and Britta offering to kick him didn’t help. For what seemed like hours, well into the evening, they searched.

“Annie, lets head back to his hotel, maybe he’s gone for dinner” Britta suggested

“Yeah, lets head back, my poor feet are killing me” Shirley complained

“Okay Britta, do you remember where you parked the car?” Annie conceded

“Yeah, just over here. Please god, no ticket” Britta prayed

“Oh sure, ask him when you want something, but every other Sunday, no he doesn’t exist” Shirley muttered to herself.

Annie smiled as they reached the car, Britta fist pumping that she hadn’t gotten a ticket for the few hours they were in the strip for. Britta jumped in and started the car. It sounded worse than before. Shirley held her nose “Did your car grow a smell?”

Britta looked slightly worried and slightly annoyed “for the last time, it’s fine!” She turned out of the parking space and headed back to Jeff’s hotel. A banging was coming from the boot of Britta’s car. The three turned around, looking at each other. Britta put on her turn signal and pulled over to the side of the road. Again, they heard the banging sound coming from the boot of the car. They got out of the car and went to the back of the car. Gingerly, they opened the trunk lid. A small man in white underwear sprung out of the trunk, attaching himself to Shirley, who shrieked and proceeded to hit the man with her handbag.

“Chang?” Britta asked, helping pull the former Spanish teacher off of Shirley. “How the hell did you get into the trunk of my car?”

“Wait, Perry? What are you doing here?” He looked around at the assembled group around him. “Edison? Shirley? Did you see who shoved me in the boot of that stinking car?”

“Hey! It doesn’t stink, it’s just fragrant” Britta protested.

Annie piped up for them “No, we just took off and heard what I’m guessing was you banging on the trunk lid”

“Yeah, I was having my pre dinner time nap and I woke up in the trunk of that car. That’s what you get for having a big lunch with Winger”

Annie grabbed him by the shoulder “Jeff? You saw Jeff? Where was he? Where was he going?”

“Dial back the intensity Edison. We bumped into each other at the Strip and grabbed some food. Last time I saw him I was dropping him off at the bus stop back home. Never expected to see him here in Las Vegas. I’m here for a Salsa competition.”

“Where was he going?” Annie repeated.

“He said that he had a flight this afternoon, he had someone to see in Los Angeles and had booked the first flight he could. I think he flew out about 6:30ish”

Annie looked at the watch on her wrist “That’s 45 minutes from now” she shrieked “Britta, Shirley, let’s go!” Annie quickly slammed the trunk lid shut and jumped back in the car. They took off, leaving a confused Chang on the sidewalk.

Chang looked around at the sleuth of people beginning to surround him “What, haven’t you ever seen a Chinese Man in underwear before. This is Vegas people!” before turning around and heading back to his hotel.

***

Jeff sat in in front of the airbridge, just waiting for his call to board the plan to Los Angeles. He held the piece of paper he received from Chang with Annie’s Address on it. The piece of paper had not left his hand since it had been given to him. He feared to put it down and loose it.

“This is the boarding call for flight United Airlines 7463, flying direct from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Passengers flying rows 1 to 15 please enter through the front walkway, passengers’ row 16 to 30 please enter through the walkway down the stairs and through the rear entry. Please have your tickets out and ready to present to your flight staff. On behalf of United Airlines, we thank you for flying with us today”

Jeff held out his ticket and showed it to the stewardess checking tickets, he kept his head down and walked down the airbridge. He held out his ticket for a second time, presenting it to the flight steward in the front of the plane. Ducking his head to enter his seat, he sat down and buckled in, looking out the window. Twenty minutes later, he felt a gentle pull as the plane pull backwards, ready to taxi back to the runway. He glanced up and looked at the cabin crew cross checking doors and preparing to depart. He hung his head and looked out the window. He looked back to the departure lounge’s windows. The only thing he could make out in the windows is a pair of soft blue eyes staring back at him and a hand on the window, her mouth making a silent scream as he taxied to the runway, just out of reach.


	6. All Roads Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all finally reach Los Angeles, will they finally catch him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shout out to the Discord Fan Fic Channel for their support in getting through these chapters. You guys are great.
> 
> Thanks to Harestomp (Kian), Childish_Glover,1sttimefeeling (jeffwing) AlmightyMirage, (Mirage) and Morganatique9 (Morganecdote). They all post work on here, you should check them out.
> 
> Or come check out our Discord Channel.....

Annie sprinted into the Domestic Terminal, eventually clearing the TSA agent who had held her up going through the gate quickly until Annie had pulled out her FBI badge and powered through the security point. She stopped and looked up at the departure board. She scanned the board, trying to find the flight matching the piece of paper in her hand. She spotted the flight number on the board and started to sprint to the opposite end of the terminal. The sound of her heels against the tiles of the airport echoed around her as she ran as fast as she could to the gate where Jeff’s flight is departing. As she ran, she stumbled, catching herself at the last second as she stopped to take a breath. She looked ahead, his gate was just bit further ahead she said. She quickly started running again, covering the last gap just to arrive to watch Jeff’s plane pulling away from the Airbridge, starting its taxi out to the runway. She stops and touches her head to the glass and puts her hand up to the glass in frustration, softly pounding it. She looks up to look at the plane taking him away, to see him staring back at her. She silently screams out to him and by his reaction, she can tell her heard her.

_“Jeff, I’m here. Wait for me. I know where you’re going, and I’ll be there soon”_

Jeff nods at Annie, and they keep eye contact until he can no longer see through the tinted glass of the departure lounge.

Annie raced back to Britta and Shirley, standing around just before the security terminal.

“I saw him” Annie pants, as she tries to catch her breath.

“Where is he? Let’s go” Britta responded.

Annie turned and pointed to the plane picking up speed down the runway, preparing to take flight. “Quickly, let’s go Britta” Annie says, turning to run back to the parking lot. The three women sprinted to get back to the car. They quickly ran up the stairs and over to where Britta parked her car. They jumped in as Britta puts the keys in the ignition and turned the key. Britta’s car made a large bang sound, and a plume of sooty back smoke emerged from the tailpipe and from under the bonnet.

Annie stared at Britta in disbelief “No no no no no no no, this can’t happen, not now” she lamented. She sat back in her chair for a minute before she jumped out of the car and ran back into the terminal and straight the first empty ticket counter she could find.

“Excuse me” she panted, slightly out of breath “When is the next flight to LAX”

The ticket booth operator tapped a key on the keyboard and then looked Annie in the eyes, a fake smile plastered on her face. In a bored voice, she told Annie “Our next available flight is due to depart at 6:30am tomorrow morning”

“I’ll take it” Annie said, slapping her FBI identification and Driver’s License down on the countertop. She taps the keyboard again, a bored expression still plastered on her face as he reached for the identification and without even looking at them and proceeded to book the first seat available. Britta and Shirley join her and book their own tickets to LAX for the same flight.

“So” Britta asks, taking out her phone and looking at the clock “We have 10 hours to spare, what should we do?”

Shirley looked at the two younger ladies “What we should try and do is get some sleep. I’m sure there is a short stay hotel around here” Britta nodded in agreement.

“Come on Annie, there isn’t much we can do around here until departure tomorrow morning. We know where he is and” Britta said, pulling out her phone “We have friends who can pick up Jeff and hold him there until you can slap some sense into him”

Annie giggled at the thought and agreed with them. “But Britta, what about your car”

“I’ll arrange to have it towed to a wreaker in the morning, it’s dead now” she shrugged and turned away to google a tow company in Vegas.

While Britta is occupied with sorting out the disposal of her car, and Shirley is booking a short stay hotel room for the night, Annie pulled out her phone and text Troy.

_Annie – “Jeff is on his way to LAX, be there to pick him up?”_

_Troy – “Annie, sure can do, but how do you know that?”_

_Annie – “I saw him on the plane, he doesn’t have his phone with him. His flight is UA-4353 from Las Vegas. He departed just a while ago”_

_Troy - “Okay, we’ll head down to LAX now”_

_Annie – “Thank you, and make sure you keep him in your sight until we get there tomorrow. Sit on the man if you must. Britta, Shirley and I are on a flight at 6:30am”_

_Troy – “Ohh a Reunion, Abed is going to flip. Will do Annie. See you tomorrow”_

Annie put her phone back into her pocket, turning to listen in on Shirley’s conversation. “We aren’t asking for the Penthouse, we just need a room to get freshened up for our flight in the morning” She turns to Annie “The only room they have has two beds and a sofa”

“That’s no different to Apartment 303, it’s no biggy for a single night” Annie turned to the hotel booking agent “Can you please arrange a wake-up service for us? We have a 6:30 flight to LAX”

“Sure ma’am, is there anything else you need?”

Annie shook her head and moved towards the elevator.

***

Jeff’s flight took an uneventful hour and a half, in which he had time to process the implications of what we saw at Las Vegas Airport. Annie. He saw Annie, she saw him, and she told him to wait for her. Wait for her where? He had more questions than answers. He was still pondering this question as he stepped off the plane. He looked up, and standing in front of him, dressed in a chauffeur suit, was Troy and Abed, holding a sign saying, “Jeffery Winger” and big grins on their faces.

Jeffery stopped mid-step, speechless “but how?” “what?” he kept stumbling over his words. Abed and Troy looked at each other and smiled at each other simultaneously and looked back at Jeff.

“Annie” they said in unison.

Jeff shook his head. “Of course, well them guys, I’m guessing you have instructions from the Disney Princess?”

“Yes Jeff” Abed answered “And in sticking with the standard trope for this situation” He looked at Troy and grinned at him “Your coming with us”

Jeff chuckled “It’s good to see things with you two haven’t changed. Alright then, let’s get going” He looked at them “where exactly are we going?”

Troy looked at Jeff, his grin not slipping from his face “Back to ours man, where else?”

First the first time in a long time, Jeff smiled back.

***

Groggily, a dull ringing sound stirred Annie from her slumber. She reached for the white plastic phone on the nightstand and picked up the receiver and raised it to her ear.

“Hellowutisit?” she said into the phone.

A perky voice came over the handset “Good Morning Ma’am, this is your pre-flight wakeup call”

Annie raised her hands to her eyes and wiped away the sleep. She rolled over and turned on a light, illuminating the whole room in a white garish light. “Britta, Shirley, come on, it’s time, let’s go” Even though Annie had only been awake for a minute or so, the anticipation from the upcoming events of the day had her awake like she had already drunk a dozen coffees. They quickly packed and made it to the terminal. Being early in the morning, they didn’t have to wait in long lines. They quickly made their way through the terminal and not after long were waiting outside the departure lounge. Annie picked up her phone and quickly fired off a quick text to Abed

_Annie – We are on our way, is Jeff still with you?_

_Abed – Yes, he’s still here. Troy is going to take him out for a walk to do the whole “Guy to Guy Talk trope” that will give me a to come and pick you up._

_Annie – Cool, just make sure Troy doesn’t look track of him, I’ve been chasing him over half the country._

_Abed – Don’t worry Annie, he is safe with us._

Annie smiled as she put her phone away. She looked over to her travelling companions. No, she wasn’t just looking at her travelling companions. She was looking at her family who had helped her on her Journey. A Journey that was almost at an end. Annie looked up as she heard her boarding call. She got up, grabbed her bag, expelled a huge breath, and stood in line to board the plane.

_I’m coming Jeff, I’ll be there soon_.

***

Jeff hadn’t been able to sleep much last night. Every time he closed his eyes, he recalled the look on Annie’s face through the plane window, the anguish in her eyes of just missing Jeff by only a few minutes. Troy had gotten up early as well this morning, finding Jeff on the couch, staring out the window at the rising dawn.

“Jeff, why don’t we go out for a walk” Troy motioned to the front door “I’m sure we can find a coffee shop that’s open at this time in the morning”

Jeff nodded, stood up and grabbed his coat and followed Troy out the door. Standing in Starbucks in downtown LA, Jeff and Troy were ordering a coffee to start the morning, Troy turned to Jeff “You don’t look like you had much sleep last night”

Jeff grunted “I haven’t had much sleep at all lately. I can’t remember the last time I actually got a full night’s sleep”

Troy didn’t look at Jeff, keeping his eyes concentrated on the Menu Board in front of him “Why’s that man”

Jeff to didn’t turn to face Troy either “What was it like when you left to go on your Around the World Tour? Did you feel like you made a mistake? Did you feel like you were losing part of yourself?”

Troy turned to face Jeff “That’s how you felt when we all left?”

Jeff still didn’t turn to face Troy “That’s how I felt when Annie left. She left, and I tried to keep in contact, but even that wasn’t enough. I lost my way”

Troy turned back to the menu board “I know how you feel. It was like that when I was at sea. There were at times we didn’t know where we were going. One direction on a compass looked the same, but that didn’t stop me. I knew I had to get home, and I didn’t let anything stop me. There were times that I felt completely alone that I was the only one out there. In a vast and uncaring ocean, I was afraid of never seeing anyone again.” He looked to the main counter and ordered. “Jeff, do you know what was the most important thing I learnt while I was out there? That no matter where I went, what I saw, or who I became, I always, always, had my Greendale Family waiting for me.”

Jeff grabbed his coffee from the counter and turned around to walk out behind Troy, having already received his order “I don’t know where I went wrong Troy. Remember me on my first day, I came in, wanting to only do the bear minimum to get back to my Lawyer Lifestyle. Then I met you, and it all changed. I realized I had six weirdly shaped holes in my heart, and when everyone left, I wasn’t able to fill those holes again.” Jeff took a sip of his coffee, looking around the deserted street “And then Annie left” Jeff took another sip of his coffee “and I had no one left, I went back to being that person again. Alone. I couldn’t stand it. I started drinking, started fighting. I wanted to get her attention any way I could”

Troy nodded “You know, you never lost it, I am pretty sure that she’s never stopped thinking about you.”

Jeff nodded, smiling to himself ruefully “I realized that when I saw her at the Airport Last Night. Have you heard any further from her?”

Troy laughed “No Man, I know the car she was using broke down, so she wasn’t able to give direct chase to you”

Jeff laughed again, the sound seeming strange in his ears as they started walking into Grand Park.

***

While Troy was out walking with Jeff, Abed was making his way over to LAX to pick up the three travellers coming in early on a red eye flight. Annie sat squirming for the entire hour and a half, receiving reproachful looks from both Annie and Shirley, who she was sitting between.

“An-nie, dear, it’s going to be okay. We know where Jeff is, and we know Troy or Abed won’t let him disappear again” Shirley quietly whispered to her

“I know, but I’ve been chasing him for what feels like so long” Annie sighed. She looked up to find Abed standing there, usual t-shirt and hoodie on. He was quickly swamped, hugs and handshakes being passed all around. They quickly made their way out of the terminal, swapping stories of their latest adventures and Abed’s latest script he as working on. They made their way to the short-term car park before Annie asked the important question she had.

“How is Jeff?”

“Jeff?” Abed looked at Annie “He’s his usual self. I haven’t noticed anything different about him at first. But then it showed. He’s nervous about today. He knows he’ll be meeting you today.”

“Well” Annie gulped “That makes two of us”

They jumped into Abed’s car, trading in small talk while heading towards his apartment.

***

They emerged from Abed’s car, collecting their bags from the trunk. Troy and Abed’s apartment block was not how Annie imagined it. Just another multi leveled Apartment block in downtown LA. Nothing befitting the multi-millionaire that Troy was. She was also surprised that her apartment was only a few blocks from here. The four of them entered the lobby and took the elevator up to the seventh floor. When the elevator door opened, Abed veered off to the right, coming to a stop just a few doors from the end of the corridor. He shook the keys free of his pocket and opened the door. Annie nervously stepped through the door first, finding an empty apartment. She turned around to face Abed.

“Where is he? I thought you were going to keep him here”

Abed looks around “it would seem that Troy and Jeff haven’t returned from their walk this morning. Let me text Troy and see how much longer there going to be” He reached into his pocket for his phone. Abed quickly typed into his phone and sent off a message. A notification sound carried from the other side of the door as they heard the doorknob rattle. Troy, Greendale hoodie looked up from his phone and closed the door behind him.

“Troy!” Three collective voices exclaim and dive towards him. Two reefing him into embraces, one grabbing him by the shoulders.

The hands on his shoulders, belonging to Annie, turn him towards her and makes eye contact with him “Jeff, where is he?”

“He’s in Grand Park, by the fountain. He asked for some alone time before he came back”

Annie didn’t hear the end of his sentence as she was already out the door. Troy moved to follow her but was held back by Britta.

Troy looked at her hand on his chest “But I didn’t say where Grand Park was. She’ll get lost”

“No, she won’t. She lives not far from here” Britta remarked.

Troy and Abed shared a glance at each other, not knowing what to do with that information.

***

Annie left the apartment block, making a straight line for the park, which was just at the end of the street. It was now mid-morning, and the traffic had started to build to its lunchtime peak. She moved down the street, entering the park, eyes scanning for Jeff.

Annie moved to the center of the park, figuring it was the best place to start and branch out from there. Getting closer to the center of the park she saw the fountain, spraying water up into the air, reflecting light and causing rainbows to appear in different directions. She stopped at the fountain for a second, taking a look into the water.

“If I were Jeff, where would I be? I don’t think there are any coffee stands here today” she thought, musing to herself, entranced by the shimmer on the water. The fountain’s display had trickled down to a burble, getting ready to start its cycle of patterns again. Annie looks up, there, mirroring her stance, mirroring her action of looking up from the water, was Jeff, staring back at her.

Slowly, they start moving towards each other, just in case one of them is a mirage, a figment of imagination, or a delusion of their sleep deprived emotional state. Annie was acutely aware of her footsteps, inconsequential as they normally are, she could feel each of them taking her closer and closer to Jeff. Her eyes did not leave his face, tracing all the differences between Greendale Jeff, when she last saw him face to face, and Los Angeles Jeff, when she looked at him now.

Halfway around to Jeff, she can see the small lines at the side of his eyes, creasing as his grin expanding as he got closer to her. The few more grey hairs at his temples, giving him the whole silver fox look everyone goes on about, and she didn’t understand until this moment. Her heart started trying to give out on her, pumping faster and faster with each inconsequential step she takes closer to him.

They stopped no more than two steps away from each other, or rather, two Annie steps, or one of Jeff’s. Their eyes had not left each other the entire trip around the fountain. If you had of asked Annie later how long it took to get around to him, or how long they stood there, drunk on the sight each other, she couldn’t have told you.

“Hi” Jeff says, almost casually, a wry grin on his face as he looks at her.

“Hi” Annie said back, a small grin playing on the edge of her lips.

“Hi” Jeff repeats, his grin getting larger, reaching his eyes, lighting up his hold body, taking a half a step forward.

“Hi” Annie repeats herself, the grin also reaching her eyes, taking half a step forward towards him as well.

Now, they were within arm’s length of each other, hands still by their side. Annie’s face turns into one of anger as she slaps in on the chest with a solid _‘thunk’_.

“You” “had” “me” “so” “worried” Annie breaths, trying to keep herself under control. The butterflies in her stomach were in full flight now he’s within reach.

Jeff laughed. He couldn’t help it and it just came out. Within seconds, Annie is was also laughing, trying to keep a stern look on her face but failing under Jeff’s joy. Jeff reached out, grabbing Annie by the shoulders, and drawing her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her and putting his head against her hair. Annie was startled for a split second, before her arms came up around him, pulling him close to her as well.

Time stood still, and the two at the center of the park, they could have been the only two in the world, and they would not have noticed. Time stood still as the pair thought about their journeys to bring them to this point. Time stood still as seven years of emotions ran through them, making up for all the time they had lost. Time stood still as their paths entwined, two becoming one.

Then time started again, slowly, almost unwillingly for the two as they parted, still with fingers entwined, almost like they were afraid to separate in case they lost each other again. Annie looked up at Jeff, eye’s glistening with tears of joy and acceptance. “If you only waited a day, we would have caught up to you” she said, trying not to be lost in the moment of time.

“Well” Jeff drawled, taking his time and thinking about his words “Up until yesterday at the Airport, I didn’t know you were on my trail”

“I’ve been following you since Greendale” Annie replied

“What? When were you there?”

“For your polygraph”

“That was your voice I heard. I thought it was wishful thinking. Unseen FBI agent with a voice I couldn’t quite pick”

“Well, it was me, I was there and” she trailed off, like she was remembering something, slapping him across the chest again “that’s for not telling me about Borchert’s lab and opening the door!”

A range of emotions played across his face, and anyone but Annie would have missed them “I had planned to tell you, when you returned back to me”

“That was always the plan, but it never happened. But I’m here now, and I’m not leaving you again”

Annie moved again slightly towards Jeff, face leaning up towards him. His face leaned towards her, his eyes matching hers in hunger for the other. Their lips met in the middle, softly at first, testing each other’s willingness. They both found each other willing, their lips crushing together, teeth clashing in the middle, tongues playing with each other. Annie thought her heart might stop as they continued to try and express the pent-up emotions between them. Jeff placed one hand around her waist, and one in her hair, pulling her deeper into the kiss.

They pulled away from each other, gasping for air, their hands remaining wrapped around each other as Annie’s head came to rest against Jeff’s Chest. Jeff leant down and whispered in her ear “I love you” Annie pulled back, a blush spreading from her chest all the way up to her hair line. Her eyes wide with shock and Jeff stood there, taking the sight of all her in. Annie’s lips once again crushed into Jeff’s, moaning slightly into his mouth. Although Jeff couldn’t hear her speak, he knew what she said.

“I love you too”

“Dummy”

After a few minutes, again, they come up gasping for air, still holding each other’s hands, they stepped away from each other, making their way back to Troy and Abed’s Apartment.

***

Overlooking the park, Troy was standing watching the two finally become a couple. “Finally, idiots” he muttered to himself, grinning like a kid at the same time. He reached into his pocket, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Quickly, he typed “The stage is set, we’ll see you tomorrow” He put his phone away, continuing onto the deli to grab lunch for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one Chapter left...... coming soon.


	7. Enter the Puppet Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gang's all back together, but who's been pulling the strings?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shout out to the Discord Fan Fic Channel for their support in getting through these chapters. You guys are great.
> 
> Thanks to Harestomp (Kian), Childish_Glover,1sttimefeeling (jeffwing) AlmightyMirage, (Mirage) and Morganatique9 (Morganecdote). They all post work on here, you should check them out.
> 
> Or come check out our Discord Channel.....

Annie stirred in her sleep, being stirred by the sunlight drifting through the open section of curtains in the room she was staying in. She tried to roll over in her half daze, finding a large around wrapped around her torso, pulling her back in tight. A voice mumbled something in its half wakefulness, falling back into a peaceful sleep. Annie, her eyes now starting to open, gazed at the face of Jeff, so peaceful and serene, looking to be getting the first full night sleep in years. Tears came unbidden to her eyes as she stared at the man she was planning to spend the rest of her life with, if he would have her. Of course, that hadn’t come up in discussions last night as they spoke quietly amongst themselves, but Annie had made that decision a spilt second after she matched eyes with at the park the day before.

Annie smiled to herself and nuzzled back into Jeffreys chest, as Jeff’s arm wrapped around her more tightly. They were both content to lie there, ignoring the rest of the world and only concentrating on their emotions, their desires, but the others waiting in the loungeroom had other ideas.

“Jackass!” Brita called out “Annie! Get your arses out here now”

Jeff groaned into Annie’s hair “Why did you bring her with you again?”

Annie swatted him on the chest “If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here right now. I would have left Greendale to go back to HQ”

Jeff thought for a second “We never did discuss it yesterday, where is HQ for you?”

Annie blushed for a second “About 5 blocks south of here. My apartment is two blocks over. We walked back past it from the Park”

Jeff half sat up, half lent on his elbow “How long have you been in LA for”

“Only a couple of months” Annie replied

“And we didn’t go there?” Jeff asked with a grin

Annie blushed “Because we have all the time in the world and I didn’t want to start us under a basis of sex” she looks him up and down “no matter how much I” she stammers “we want it, let’s do this right”

Jeff knew instantly that she was right. They had time on their side, he wasn’t leaving her side again. Yesterday, at the fountain, he made the decision as soon as he had spotted her blue eyes across the water that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her, if she would have him.

Jeff reached behind him, reaching for his Jeans and Shirt from where he had laid them out on the chair beside the nightstand. Pulling on his jeans, he stood up, and framed by the window sunlight peeking through the heavy drapes, Annie’s heart melted.

“Annie” Jeff said, a broad grin on her face “you’ve got a bit of drool on your face, just right there” he pointed to his own lips.

Annie huffed, turning away, subtly wiping away the offending drool as she grabbed her clothes from her bag, heading into the bathroom attached to their room to get changed.

Jeff put his shirt on, the dark sky blue one that he knew Annie liked, because it matched her eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Annie to be ready.

Again, Britta yelled out “Guys, hurry up or we’re coming in there!”

Jeff stood up and poked his head out the door “Annie’s just getting ready, be down in a second” Jeff walked over to tap on the bathroom door. “Annie, Sweetie?” he says, trying on the name, shaking his head not liking it “Annie, you going to be much longer?”

“Just a second!” she yells back, jumping around the bathroom squeezing into a pair of jeans and making sure that her hair is pulled out of her face. She grabbed her blueberry bubblegum lip gloss out of her toiletries bag, putting it into her pocket.

Jeff heard the bathroom door handle ratting, turning from the window he had been staring out to now stare at the sight before him. Annie had stepped out from the bathroom, quickly stepping over to her bag to put her things away. She felt Jeff’s eyes on her, causing her to blush from chest to hairline. She stood up, finding him standing only inches away, a hunger in his eyes that she returned as well. He leant down, pressing his lips against hers, intensely and fiercely. She returned the kiss with a ferocity that she even surprised herself with, her body molding into his, like she was a natural extension of his. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and placing her on the dressing table in their room. Their kisses got more and more fierce, like they were parting for the last time, never to see each other again. His hands strayed down from her waist, lightly caressing her firm backside in the jeans she had on. She moaned into his mouth in delight and with her hands, first around his neck, travelled down the hard lines of his body to rest on his belt buckle. Both, breathing heavy and not paying attention to anything going on around them never heard the door open and Britta come flying into the room

“Oh! Gross! Come on guys! Get a room!” she screamed, diving back out of the room as quick as she ran in

Annie and Jeff looked at each other for a split second, before erupting in laughter. Jeff managed to call back “We have one! You’re the one who barged in on us!” 

They both slowly stopped laughing, leaning in for one more chaste kiss before Annie jumped off the dressing table, pulling her lip gloss out, and, without breaking eye contact with Jeff, pulled the lid off the gloss and raised it to her lips, taking to slow to apply it. Jeff licked his lips as well, mimicking her movements, before looking down as his face turned bright red. He raised his arm to Annie, offering his elbow

“Milady?”

Annie grinned back at him “Milord”

Together, arm in arm, they exited the room to head downstairs to meet up with the others.

****

Britta arrived back in the loungeroom, having busted in on Jeff and Annie obviously having some intended alone time, face scarlet red sat down beside Troy on the sofa.

“Bri-tta, where are those two” Shirley asked, looking at Britta’s face

Britta let out a strangled sound “Catching up”

“Oh Lord, they better not be sinning under this roof” Shirley admonished.

It was that moment, Jeff and Annie came down the stairs into the room where everyone was seated, arm in arm.

“Awwww” Shirley went

Britta sat there, making retching sounds over the side of the couch.

Troy and Abed shared a knowing glance at each other. “Now, Annie has solved the mystery of Jeff’s ghosting from Colorado.” Abed turned to Shirley “Shirley, tell us about what lead you here?”

“I’ve been following clues about a grifter who has been robbing elderly blind, and the trail has led me to here.”

Troy squirmed slightly in his seat, but his movements were betrayed to Jeff, who started watching intently. “Shirley” Jeff started to ask, “What can you tell us about what you’ve found out?” but while asking, his eyes never left Troy.

“Well, as far as we know, he goes by a number of Alias, Including Ty Webb, Clark Griswold, Irwin Fletcher to name a few. He moves into a town, scopes out Elderly couples needing work done around the neighborhood, and promises work, but requires part payment up front before skipping that part of town to another and repeating. We got asked to look for him in Atlanta. My Employer, Mr Butcher is following up leads at home” She stopped for a breath “But he asked me to follow up the ones outside the state. Poor man just can’t move around as much as he could, being what with him in a wheelchair and all”

Jeff continued to watch Troy as Shirley continued telling them about her steps prior to catching up with Britta and Annie. Troy continued to watch in every direction except Shirley’s or Jeff’s.

“Troy, is there something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?” Jeff asked Troy.

Troy froze at the sound of Jeff’s voice. “What do you mean Jeff?” Troy asked back, his voice going up several octaves. Four sets of eyes zoomed in on Troy.

“Troy” Shirley asked, her voice lowering a number of octaves “What do you know boy?” her voice reaching dangerous levels.

Troy stood up, pacing in of them “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Who’s hungry, who wants breakfast” he rapidly spits out, tumbling over his words as he tries to deflect onto another topic. He looks at Jeff “Abed and Me just got this cool new game called Floor is Lava. Want to play?”

“Nice try Troy, spit it” Shirley demands

Troy collapses back into his seat, a look of defeat on his face. He looks at Shirley “I heard of him, I may know where he is”

“What are you talking about boy?” Shirley asks again.

“I’ve heard those names around the place. Rich people are the worst gossips. Get some no-no juice into them and they don’t stop” Troy shook his head at the thought of the last time he was at the county club with Abed.

“Lord, get to the point, or they gonna have a hard time finding you” Shirley groaned, trying to get Troy back on track. “Troy. Troy. Look at me”

Troy stopped staring into space and looked at Shirley.

“Where is he?” Shirley says slowly, trying to get her words into Troy’s daydreams

“Oh, I heard he’s at the Ritz Carlton” Troy’s voice again raises several octaves.

Jeff chimes in “Troy, I don’t feel your being honest to all of us here, is there anything else you’d like to share?”

“No, no, no, no, nothing else” Troy’s voice began to break under Jeff’s lawyer stare.

In the background, Jeff could hear Annie sigh dreamily, while Britta started making gagging sounds. Jeff continued to stare at Troy, who was trying to make himself as small as possible on the seat. “I have a feeling we should all go. Shirley, any complaints?”

“Noo-oo, no complaints, and I think I’d feel more comfortable with company anyway” Shirley responded.

“Well, that settles it” Jeff says, rising to his feet and dusting off his jeans “Shirley, when you’re ready?”

*****  
  


Within the hour, they arrived at the Ritz-Carlton. Annie, taking the lead, goes to the front counter, already preparing to show her FBI Credentials. “Hi, my name is Agent Annie Edison, I’m looking for a possible guest, under the name Ty Webb?”

The concierge, tapping on their keyboard looked up at the group. His nametag displayed his name as Alex. Jeff, standing two steps behind Annie steps forward, squinting his eyes at the man behind the counter.

“Starburns?”

“No, damnit, how many times do I have to tell you six, my name is Alex! It’s literally on my name tag” he exclaims, gesturing wildly to his gold nametag on his lapel.

Annie, wild eyed at not recognizing Starburns, turns to him “Forget that” she gestures to Jeff to take a step back. It’s not that she didn’t mind his intrusion into her space, but she needed to keep a clear head about things, and after this morning, she needed to be at least outside of arm’s length away from him. Jeff grinned, knowing why she was asking for him to step back, nodded his head and stood back with the others.

“Focus Sta-lex” Alex looks slightly annoyed at her forgetting his name already “Ty Webb, where is he?” she pulls out her badge “Don’t think I won’t come back with more Agents”

“Fine, Fine!” he yells. He calls over a bellhop “Todd, can you take them all to the Penthouse” he asks, handing over an elevator key fob. The Bellhop, clearly with Todd written on the gold name badge, nods and walks over to an elevator, pressing the up Arrow.

Jeff ended up walking beside Todd “So, Todd, How’s the Turtle?”

Todd said nothing, just looking at the group with distain as he reached in and swiped the Fob and pressed the Penthouse Button.

The Six of them file into the elevator and the doors close behind them. Troy, in an effort to make himself as small as possible, hid behind Abed and ducked into a corner, quickly typing a Text Message “We’re on our way up. Hope you know what you’re doing”

***

The elevator doors opened with a soft _‘Bing’_ and they all filed out of the elevator into an opulent waiting area, and the group moved out of the elevator, not knowing what to expect. 

Shirley snorted, looking around at the white marbled floors and vaulted ceiling. “Well, looks like this Ty guy is doing well for himself” she turned to Troy “Where is he?”

A rattle at the other end of the hall grabbed all of their attention as a set of double doors opened at the other end. Garret, still red faced as always looked into the anteroom, seeing the group standing there in bewilderment pulled his head back through the doorway.

“Crisis! Crisis! There all here” Garrett shrieked in his high pitched, nasally voice.

“Calm yourself down my boy, this was to be expected” a voice, dulled by distance came from the other side of the door, “Calm yourself and show them in”

Garret emerged from the room, slightly out of breath and red faced from his panic attack “Please, come this way” he motions with his hands, directing them into the other room.

“Okay. Does anyone else think that this is a bit?” Jeff askes the assembled group around him as they make their way over towards the open door. Jeff, passing Garret can’t help but laugh at the thought of Elroy from Garrets wedding _‘Now there’s a man who knows how to marry his cousin’_.

Troy pipes up “You know Jeff, laughing to yourself is considered a sign of crazy” he said, his voice frantic “Why don’t we go back home, and you and Britta can discuss this”

“No way, never, I’ve had all the help I can get from Britta the Therapist” Jeff replies, shooting a glance at Britta, remembering their Bar top Therapy Sessions.

“Jackass” Britta snaps “You didn’t seem to mind then”

“I also didn’t mind the free scotch either”

“Jackass” she repeated

As they stepped into the room, Annie, FBI trained, swept the room with a practiced glance. The drapes were pulled, throwing the rooms into long shadows. Furniture sat around the room, making the room feel slightly ominous. Unconsciously though, she inched closer to Jeff, his arm finding its way around her shoulder.

Garret walked past them, heading over to the heavy drapes covering the wall, throwing them open to bathe the room in light. There, sprawled out on the now visible divan, was Pierce Hawthorne, sitting in a Red Velvet Robe and insignia pajamas.

Five of the group who had just walked through the door stand there in absolute shock for a minute, before the yelling starts. Troy sinks back behind the group, not showing any surprise on his face at all.

Britta screams “We attended your funeral and you gave us Sperm” the three ladies shudder at the thought.

“We said all those nice things about you, and took a polygraph for you” Jeff yelled over the din

Abed, didn’t say anything, except he turned around to look at Troy “Troy, why are you not surprised by this unfolding of events?”

Four other sets of eyes turn to face Troy. Under the now five accusatory glares, Troy broke down “I had to guys. When I was out at sea, Levar handed me a signed letter for Pierces Lawyer, along with a mobile phone I had to keep charged for when it rang. Part of the conditions of me getting the inheritance was that I was to know that Peirce was alive and I couldn’t tell anyone about it” He turned to Abed “I’m sorry man, I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t”

Abed nods “You were put into a hard position. I forgive you”

“Thanks man” Their hands reaching out, completing their traditional handshake.

“Troy was acting on my orders” Pierce says, finally rising for the divan. “And I’ve been tracking you all from Greendale to here. Do you know how long and how much money it took to reconfigure that paintball park to look like Greendale? Do you know how annoying it was organizing that Dungeon and Dragons Game with Vicki? Do you know how much I wanted to push her off somewhere high?”

“Wait? You’ve been behind all of this” Annie stutters, barely keeping her rage in check.

“I’ve been behind it all from the start. Annie, you weren’t even meant to be on the FBI case, I may have made a few calls and called in some favors. Let me tell you, delaying the original interviewer for Jeff may cost me in the future” Peirce muses.

Now it’s Shirley’s turn “Wait a second? Your Ty Webb?”

Pierce nods “Yes, that is one of my many aliases, and don’t worry, none of those people who made a complaint against me were actually ripped off, actually, they were very well compensated for their mediocre acting skills”

“You mean you got me off on a while goose chase?” Shirley leveled a glare like daggers at him

Britta, now yelling “And why was Chang in the boot of my car?”

“Oh, that was just for fun. I had always planned to have Chang be the final piece, ready to send you here”

“But why my car?” Britta whined.

“Because it was funny getting him in there” Pierce Chuckled

“You owe me a new car now!” Britta yelled again.

“Fine, fine, see Garret on your way out to discuss that” he waved her off.

Jeff finally trusted himself not to strangle Pierce “So why? Why do all of this?”

Pierce, looking indignant, looks at Jeff directly “Why, I walked you through all the good times we shared together, and this is how you thank me? Have any of you thought about me at all since I died, well, not really died, but leveled up rank in my Laser Lotus Religion and cast away all connections. Did any of you visit me? Or did you all forget about me?”

“So, this entire trip, the whole thing, was just because you were pissed that we moved on without you?” Jeff, barely holding his temper in check snarled.

“Yes, my boy, glad you finally caught up with the rest of the class” Pierce said, trying to sound like everything he had done had been a favor to them. 

It took Abed, Troy, Shirley and Britta to hold Jeff back so he couldn’t strangle Pierce on the spot.

Annie turns to Pierce, a cold calculating look on her face “Pierce, what did you mean that I wasn’t meant to be on the case? What do you mean you help up the originally assigned interviewer?”

“Well, Annie, originally, you were meant to be assisting on this case, remotely from your Desk in the LA FBI Branch, but I know a few people who know a few people, and I just made a phone call and had you redirected from your desk to Greendale. I’ve been following your progress thank you to the mobile phones and sums of money I sent people along your trip. I hired the services of Mark Boyle, I own the paintball field and Neil messaging me was part of the contract for that game I paid him to do.” He stopped for a breath. “Had you gotten too off track, I would have got you here in the end. I didn’t plan on Jeff going off on his own, I originally planned for you to travel as a group, but you’re here now”

Troy and Abed again had to restrain Jeff from trying to strangle Pierce.

Annie, still looking at Pierce, beginning rummaging through her bag “Why, why did you do all of this? Why did you do this all of this to me?”

“Because Annie, you again left me out”

“You died Pierce!” Jeff shouted

“Well, that’s beside the point Jeffery, you shouldn’t have left me out”

Annie stopped rummaging through her bag. She walked over to Pierce, who by now was standing behind the divan in case Jeff got lose from the 4 holding him back.

She holds out her left hand, in a signal to give the old man a hug. He raised his arms to return the hug and felt a cold slap on his wrist. Alarmed, he looked down to his wrist to find one half of a handcuff on it. Quickly, Annie grabbed his other hand, placing both handcuffs around his wrist.

“Pierce Hawthorne, you are hereby under arrest for the your fraudulent death and by your diversion of justice, anything you can or do say can be help against you in a court of law, if you do not have the ability to retain an attorney, one will be appointed to you” Annie stated, finishing off Pierce’s Miranda Rights.

“Annie, my dear, what are you doing? You were always my favourite”

“And you, Pierce, have screwed us around for the last time”

Jeff stood there, stunned, and slightly turned on if he was truthful to himself. “Annie, why do you have handcuffs in your bag?”

She turned away from Pierce, pulling her phone out of her bag “Why? Jeff, firstly, I’m a Law Enforcement agent, we carry all kinds of things, and secondly, if you had tried to run away again, I’d have cuffed you” she said with a cheeky grin on her face, which Jeff returned.

“Oh, Gross Guys” Britta exclaimed, dry retching into her hands theatrically.

Annie finished pulling her phone out of her bag and opening her address book “Guys, give me a second, I’m going to call my very surprised supervisor to come down here and finish this off”

“Okay, okay Annie, you’ve had your fun, I can understand what I did wrong, and I’m sorry, but can you uncuff me now?” Peirce pleaded.

Annie ignored him as her supervisor picked up, firstly surprised by her call, and even more surprised that she had Hawthorne in custody.

Britta looked at Annie “Hey Annie, do you think it’s too late for me to go see Garret about my new car?”

***  
  
A little while later, after all the drama over Pierces sudden re-emergence Jeff and Annie were strolling through the park they have come to think as their park, stopped beside the fountain once again. They heard the rest of the group behind them, laughing at some joke that Troy told them about being out at Sea with Levar. Jeff looked at Annie, a sense of wonderment and amazement across his face.

Annie looks back at him “Yes?” she asks.

Without saying a word, Jeff takes both her hands in his, raising them to his lips and kissing them. Annie smiles back at him. Suddenly, without dropping her hands, Jeff steps back, creating space between them.

“what’s wrong?” Annie asked, a small quiver in her voice.

“Nothing, nothing at all” Jeff replied. Suddenly, without warning, Jeff fell to one knee, not taking his eyes from Annie.

“What? What are you doing Jeff?” Annie asked him in alarm “Is something wrong?”

“Yes, Yes, it is Annie.” He replies, dropping one of his hands and fishing around in his pocket to get something out “A while ago, I stood in front of you and said that “I let you go, Annie. From my hands and my head. The heart, which cynics say is code for penis, wants what it wants. But I let you go.” He stopped and took a breath before continuing on, “It took me all of about thirty seconds to realize after dropping you off at the airport that letting you go was the biggest mistake I have ever, and will ever make in my entire life. That is now a life I don’t want to spend apart. Annie Edison” He brought his hand out of his pocket, holding a purple velvet case in his hand. He’d been carrying the case around with him since he pulled them out the shoebox from under his bed “will you agree to spend the rest of your life with me?” With one finger, he deftly flipped open the case to reveal a gold ring in the box. The ring was an arrangement of Purple Amethyst Stones surrounding a clear-cut princess diamond.

Annie’s free hand travelled slowly to her mouth, not trusting it to say anything at this stage. She could feel the blood pumping in her ears, her stomach doing backflips in her. She could hear the sudden silence of the group, no longer talking or laughing, but standing there still and silent, collectively holding their breath, waiting for her response.

In this place, Jeff thought, time has a really bad habit of standing still, as he waited for Annie’s response. He watched a range of emotions play across her face quickly, until it settled on one of resolve.

“Yes, you dummy, god yes” she whispered back through her hand.

Jeff, grinning ear to ear, looked at her “I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite hear you, what did you say?”

“Yes!” she practically screamed “Hurry up and put the ring on me before I faint!”

A cheer went up for the assembled study group as Jeff reached into the purple velvet case removing the ring and placing it on her left hand. He stood up and embraced his now Fiancé. Within seconds, there was a group hug, with the two soon to be married couple in the center of the huddle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small Epilogue to follow shortly.


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've had our fun, but what happens after?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shout out to the Discord Fan Fic Channel for their support in getting through these chapters. You guys are great.
> 
> Thanks to Harestomp (Kian), Childish_Glover,1sttimefeeling (jeffwing) AlmightyMirage, (Mirage) and Morganatique9 (Morganecdote). They all post work on here, you should check them out.
> 
> Or come check out our Discord Channel.....

Epilogue

“Alright class, for this week’s reading, please read chapters 14-17 and there will be a quiz on this next week” a collective groan worked its way across the lecture hall. “Go on, get out of here and I’ll see you all next week” Mr. Winger, or Jeff to his friends, erased his notes from the chalk board and strode back over to his desk and sat down in his chair. The slight headache he had still at lunch time and persisted until this late in the afternoon was testament to the fever Sebastian had last night. Annie was still at home looking after him, and he would have been as well, but he had to come in for this morning’s lecture. Their four-year-old son had picked up an illness from Daycare and over the weekend had become sick enough Annie had to take some time off to look after him. He reached down into his bottom draw and pulled out his bag, removing his phone from it.

_Jeff – “How is the munchkin at the moment”_

_Annie – “Sleeping at the moment, his fever seems to have broke just after breakfast. He looks more comfortable now”_

_Jeff – “That’s great, did you need me to bring anything home for dinner?”_

_Annie – “No, I already started that, just come home when you can”_

_Jeff – “No problems, see you soon. Love you xoxoxo”_

_Annie – “Okay. Love you too xoxoxo”_

Jeff reached down and put his phone back in his bag, grabbing out his keys and walking towards the door. As was his custom, he glanced down at the solid gold Wedding band on his finger and smiled. He shook his head as he chuckled, remembering the crazy week leading up to his engagement to Annie Edison, now Annie Edison-Winger. Smiling to himself, he reached up and turned off the light to the Lecture Hall.

*The End*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm considering continuing on in this AU for a while, maybe just some one shots.
> 
> If you like this one, feel free to check out some of my other works.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a work in progress, and my first major fic that I've been working on. Always happy to take on board whatever you might come up with.


End file.
